Pheonix of His Heart
by GorgeouslyCrimsonAngel
Summary: Silvery - crystal blue eyes clashed with Cloud grey eyes, for the first time he saw tears glistening in her ususally bright eyes, threatning to fall. He pulled her into his warm embrace, stroking her silver locks. "I'll be here for you" he whispered, "like every single time you stood for me. But will he keep that promise? Sirius OC. James Lily.
1. Chapter One - Hogwarts Express

Chapter One - Hogwarts Express.

Serelina (pronounced se-ra-li-na) and her older brother, John, ran across the kings cross station, pushing their trolleys in front of them. There was only 15 minutes to 11 and they were in a bit of a rush. Their cousin brother, Edek - who had already finished school - followed the two of them in a leisurely pace while Serelina and John made a mad dash to reach platform nine and three quarter on time.

Stopping infront of the barrier, Serelina stopped to catch her breath and John followed suit. The two of them were getting weird looks from passers by, all thankx to Johns owl - Rowdy - and Serelina's snow-white persian cat - Esmeralda.

"Ladies first" John said motioning for his sister to go on ahead once the two of them had caught their breath.

Rolling her eyes at John, she once again broke into a run, closeing her eyes when she was neared the barrier. But once she was across she opened her eyes and as always was captivated at the train that firstly met her sight. For 4 years she had been looking at the same train and it never failed to captivate her gaze nor to impress her.

Not bothering to waiting for John or Edek she went on ahead, pushing her trolley and going around in search of her freinds. This time she walked around instead of running like their was a basilisk hot on her trail, not wanting to miss any of the girls if she saw them.

Though before she found either of her freinds her brothers found her.

"Good thing you have such flashing silver hair sis, or it would have taken ages for us to find you" John joked, slinging his arm lightly around her shoulder and leaning against her. She shoved him off of her grinning widely. She was really excited and happy to finally get back to school. At least there she could stay carefree and not care about anything around she turned to Edek who was howering her trunk up into the train.

"Thankx E"she chided, hopping over to Edek and giving him a tight hug. Obviously he a good two feet taller than her, so she could only hug him around the wasit.

"Anytime Sere" he said hugging her back just as enthusiastically as she has hugging him.

"So don't forget to tell mum and dad and Cara goodbye from me" she told to him sadly, letting go of him as tears welled up on her silver flecked crystal blue eyes.

Her parents hadn't been able to come to drop her and John off because they were back home with the pairs eldest brother Nicolas - or Nick as he is known to everyone. He had a split personality problem and they have to be with him 24\7. Though she was bound to miss goofing around with Edek and Cara - Edek's younger sister, she was glad to get away from all the drama at home. After all there was only so much a 15 year old girl could take.

"I'll miss you too sweetheart" Edek whispered into Serelina's ear bending down to her level and sweeping her in for another hug and patting her head soothingly. "You might want to get on before your too late" he added making her giggle lightly, but neither of the two let each other go. Wanting to hang on to each other longer then needed.

Reluctanly, Serelina was the first let go after another minute or so and he did too. "Don't forget to write and..." her voice trailed off and she looked down as more tears fogged up her vision. She was thankful that none of her tears spilt

"Don't worry, I'll do anything and everything I can. Now smile... Saddness doesn't suit you" he joke lightly making her give him a watery smile and a light-hearted chuckle.

Dabbing at her eyes she turned back to face to John, only to see him taking to none other than the most populest four guys in her year - or maybe the entire school - also known as the Marauders. Serelins gave Edek am uncertain, side way look before catching on that they were so animatedly talking about was Qudditch. After all John was Qudditch captain this year, so it was obvious why they were talking to him.

But when she did look up she caught Sirius eye and gave a small smile before telling - and waveing - to Edek and going on ahead of her brother, who was still talking animatedly to the Marauders.

"Oh and Serelina!" Edek called after her and waited for her to turn around before yelling "promise to tryout for the team.

She gave him and incredulous look before face-palming herself. "I thought you two already dropped the subject. No, no and no is no" she said heatedly, stomping her feet for emphais, before she snatched Esmereldas basket, pulling her trunk and storminging off in search of her friends.

"She never changes" Edek muttered to himself, shaking his head after his sister stormed off. But his statement wasn't missed by the four boys who had wittnessed said incident.

"Yeah, which is the fun on bugging her. It's too easy" John said to Edek shaking his head as well. Then turning to the Marauders he said "see you guys around." with a wave and nod to Edek he too disappeared into the train, looking out for his friends.

Serelina made her way around the train as it slowly started moving, peering in through compartment by compartment. Not long after she saw a blob of very familliar red hair and ran towards said girl.

"Lily!" she exclaimed right before she launched herself at said girl.

"Oft" Lily said as she was taken by surprise at her freind luanching herself at her. "Merlin Lina, I thought you missed the train or something" Lily scolded as she too hugged her freind enthusiastically, even as the train started moving.

Serelina giggled along with Lily and said " was running a bit late, you know... With Nick." The last part she said looking down, almost getting lost in the memory of telling goodbye to her brother. "Oh Lina" Lily said sympathatically laying a hand on her freinds shoulder.

Obviously, being Serelina's best freind, Lily already knew what was wrong with her freind and all her problems at home - mostly with Nick.

Shaking her head and giving Lily a genuine bright smile she said "congradulation, I heard that you were a prefect," beaming brightly and giving Lily another hug. Even though it was Lily herself that had told Serelina that she was a prefect.

Lily laughed, already used to her freinds way of refering to things.

**_A/N- so what do you think of this, just remember that this is the first chapter so don't be tooo judgemental. But do let me know what you guys think. Constructive critisism is always welcome, as long as it is helpful... and don't forget to_**

**REVEIW and SHARE.**

_**Angel 3**_


	2. Chapter Two - An Offer To Help

Chapter Two - An Offer Of Help.

Serelina slowly made her way across the train trying to find the compartment that John and his freinds were in. Somehow before she found their compartment, she did come across a compartment that was blocked by a bunch of giggling girls.

Not at all that curious to know what held all those girls attention, she tried pushing her way past them, which infact turned out really unsucessfully. She hadn't gotten past one girl, by trying.

Feeling her patient wanning thin and as a last resolt, she pulled out her wand from her jean pocket and pointing it at those girls muttered "endencio" which cleared a nice path for her to get across. Endearing the death glares she was getting from them, she quickly hurried pass, only getting a glimps of the closed curtained compartment the girls were blocking.

Getting across those girls, she shook her head and skipped across the train, until she finally found her brother's compartment and barged in as was usual for her.

'Kate!" she exclaimed once she had bang the door open and bounced over to the curly light brown haired, bespectacled girl sitting in the compartment with her brother and the prewett twins. The other blonde freind of John wasn't in the compartment when Serelina barged in.

"Lina!" Kate exclaimed just as excited to see her little freind as Serelina was to see her. Even though technically they had spent most of their summer together. Serelina bounced over to the curly haired girl and hugged her tighly like she hadn't seen her for ages, which - for Serelina - flet like it.

"Only Kate?" Gidone said feing hurt and dramatically fainting by putting a hand over his heart as well.

"Yeah what are we Lina? Chopped liver?" fabion said sarcastically, with a roll of his eyes.

I giggled and hopped over to the two of them. "Hey Gideon!" she said still giggling and hugging him as well before giving the same greeting to Fabian - only calling him 'Fabian' instead of 'Gideon' - and huggin the two of them as well.

There wasn't much to talk for them because they already knew pretty much everyuones summer, so all of them being big fans of Qudditch it was obvious that it would be the topic they started on, with Serelina squashed between Fabian and Gidone. It was also obvious that the three freinds already knew about John and Edek bugging her to tryout for the team, after all Fabian and Gidone had been part of trying to convince her.

Only she wouldn't bludge on her decision. Kate had taken Serelina's side on it and then they had started on her. At first Kate had just rolled her eyes and ignored them at first, but once they started getting on her nerves she had started avoiding them to get them to stop and rather miraculously they had stopped, only to turn back to bugging Serelina.

Thankfully for Serelina and Kate the boys didn't start bugging the two girls again and they were arguing about who to pick for the team - seeing as John was captain.

Talking to them the time flew for Serelina and pretty soon she said her 'see you lot at school's to four of them and left their compartment.

Walking across back to her compartment, she met with the group of giggling girls who were still crowded around the compartment with the drawn in curtain.

She groaned stopping a few feet from them. 'great, just great' she thought sarcastically, rolling her crystal blue eyes, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around to come face to face with a blond haired boy looking some-what sickly pale.

"Remus!" she exclaimed in greeting, hugging said boy.

He chuckled and hugged her back saying "as enthusiastic as ever." she let go smile brightly at him before noticing Lily was also there behind him. "and a pleasure to meet you as well" he said to me with a genuine smile.

"What are you doing out here?" Lily asked her, raising her eyebrows with curiosity.

"Went to meet Kate and the boys" she replied to Lily with a shrug of her shoulder. After all Lily did know who Kate and the boys meant, she also knew Serelina's distaste of the other girl who is freinds with John.

"But you were standing here when we came around" Remus said logically as ever.

"Yeah, I already pushed past these girls and I'm in no hurry to repeat that again" she said pointing at the group of giggling girls to Remus and to Lily.

The two of them chased them away and afraid of Lily and a bit of Remus - they were prefects after all - some of the scruried away. But a few braver seventh years to fourth years stayed back and Alicia Roony was one amoung them.

The girl was a fifth year Griffindor and for some reason hated Serelina's guts, though that might have been due to the fact that Serelina had disturbed - and put an end to - her and Sirius's snogging sestion last year, in the middle of the night on the library. Ofcourse it hadn't been intentional, but seeing as how after she had walked in on them Sirius had gone off with Serelina it was kind of understandable, even if it wasn't entirely her fault.

"Go on, do something more constructive than block the way" Lily tried to shoo them away, with no such luck. But the last straw for Serelina was when Harol - a freind of Alicia's - pointed her wand at Lily sneering "make me."

Before either Lily or Remus could do anything Serelina had wiped out her wand from the hair and disarmed Harol, all in one swift motion. Pulling her wand our of the knot in her hair had loosened the knot and Serelina's silver locks cascaded down her back hugging her waist as elegantly as ever.

Her eyes narrowed swiftly on Harol and the bigger girl effectively flinched under Serelinas deadly expression. Unfortunately she wasn't the only one. Anyone who knew Serelina - and quiet a few of them were on her DADA class - knew exactly how effective her spells were and just how her bat-bogey hex worked wonders.

"Lina" Lily said sternly in an annoyed way, but her freind just rolled her eyes and tucked her wand inside her pant pocket. "I wouldn't do that if I were you" she said merrily noticing out of the coner of her eye another girl reach for her wand.

"Get a move on you lot. NOW!" Lily said sounding tired and not in the mood to deal with this just yet.

"Yes and no more wands please" Remus said sternly when he too noticed another girl pull out her wand. One look from Serelina had the rest of them leaving as well. Some of them went away at there own leisurely pace while other hurried away.

Rolling her eyes at the girls Serelina turned to her freinds. "That went better than I thought" she said exagerratedly.

Remus just nodded his head tiredly, while Lily glared at her. "Lina how could you do that? You just disarmed that girl for nothing" she yelled at Serelina. Well... Yelled wouldn't be the exact word, more like huffed really loudly.

Serelina pouted, crossing her arm over her chest. "I wasn't about to stand there and let her hex you, while I could do something about it, sorry" she huffed out pouting.

Lily sighed giving Remus a what-can-I-do look. "Sorry Lina, but you really didn't have to go that far" she said to her freind in a kind voice, then smiling a bit wider said "anyway come on, lets get back to the compartment, we have alot to catch up on".

Smiling herself, Serelina said "you go on ahead, a small hi to say. I'll be right their" ushering her freind to go on and with a wave to the both of them Lily went on to get in touch with the rest of the girls - meaning Dorace and Mary.

Once Lily went on her way, Serelina turned to look at Remus with her usual bright smile, that never seemed to be missing on her lips. He raised his eyebrow at her in question.

She shruged and said "lead the way."

His eyebrow shot up more than it already was that it was almost touching his hairline. "What?! I didn't see James on the holidays, I just wanted to say hi" she said sounding offended.

Remus laughed and said "actualy, our compartment is right here he said opening the door of the very compartment we were standing in front of. The very same compartment with the closed curtain and the one those girls were crowding around.

When Remus opened the door all three boys inside looked up to see Remus opening the door for Serelina. She looked just ready to burst out laughing and to the three boys it seemed at something Remus told because he too looked downright amused at whatever it was.

"Well... I should've know" Serelina said still amused and shaking her head. "What else could hold the attention of Alicia Roony, beside the four of you" now she couldn't hold it in any more and she burst out laughing doubling over.

"Lina!" James exclaimed springing to his feet when she burst out laughing. To tell the truth, that was when he really noticed that she was the girl that Remus had accompanied into there compartment.

At the sound of his voice she stopped laughing and straightened up. "James!" she too said enthusiastically and sprang right into his open arms.

She wrapped her hands around his neck and he around her waist.

"Long time no see, where the hell were you?" he questioned jokingly, letting go of her. Serelina rolled her eyes and greeted the other two in the compartment. "Pettigrew, Black" she said with a nod to each of them.

"A pleasure as always" Sirius said tipping an imaginary hat. And peter squealed an "Hi".

Serelina rolled her eyes at Sirius but didn't bother to reply to him.

"You never answered my question" James whined as he pulled her down to sit inbetween him and Sirius.

She frowned. "Like you already don't know" she said looking at him, still frowning in thought. He shook his head looking as lost as she was. "You really don't know?" Serelina asked sounding bewildered.

He looked truely and really lost. She sighed and mumbled "Nick.

That one word said everything James needed to know. He already knew about her brothers split personality and he also knew of all the trouble that caused Serelina. "Oh" he muttered looking down, before he looked up again. "But why didn't you stop by like you usually do?" he asked her sounding annoyed like it was her fault that she had been unable to go.

"Wasn't at home" she muttered looking out the window and not meeting his eyes.

James being, well... James, he pushed the subject, wanting to know everything and leaving nothing un-said, wouldn't leave it until she compromised. That she knew more than enough. "Why?" he asked.

She sighed giving him a weary look before getting comfortable on her seat, she knew she was in for a long talk. She looked around to see Remus reading a book and Peter eating chocolate frogs. Sirius was the only one who was out-right listening. "Because I was at Edek's place for the last two months" she told him giving him a dead expression telling him to drop the subject, and thakfully for once he did.

"You went without telling?" he asked her making his eyes wide for dramatic effort.

She giggled "it was rather sudden. Though I did spend the first few weeks at home then at... Lily's place" the last part she said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, but her giggling said that she wasn't being serious. And just as she had anticipated. At the mention of Lily's name James ran his hand through his already messy hair, messing it up even more - if that was possible.

"So she talked about me?" he asked souding so hopeful that she didn't want to crush it.

"More like complained about every single letter you sent to her, it was really frustrating if you ask me" she said rolling her eyes, in a way that even had Sirius swooning. Okay admittedly only he was. James was too busy swooning over Lily to really notice and Remus was too buried in his book. Peter was too busy eating but while he was paying attention to them, but didn't really think of it that way.

The thing was, while Serelina was a practical sister to James the rest of the Marauders were only acquaitences for her. When James and Serelina got together none of the others intervined because they had already learned - from the past 4 years - that they would only get ignored by the two if they do intervine. Plus there topics were too confusing for the other Marauders to understand, so they kept out of the two's conversation.

"Atleast she was talking about me" James said to her, optimstic as ever.

'Your useless" Serelina rolled her eye yet again, giving James a playful shove. "While it was nice catching up to you I have more improtant people to catch up to" she announced springing up to her feet as cheery as ever. "See you lot around" she said to the four of them with a light wave and a bright smile before skipping out of the compartment.

**_A/N-_**

**_Hey guys! Today not lovely readers cas i didn't get a single review :,( . Still i know it'd take a chap or two more before i get some but come on guys some inspiration would really help... though I'm not going to hold out updateing for till you'll review - i don't think I'm that cruel - but some feed back would be greatly appreciated, so would comstructive critisism..._**

**_Let me know what you think of the plot linr and the characters. A bit too ooc? Ideas are always welcome and don't hesitaite to point out mistakes... along the way don't forget to _**

**_REVIEW and SHARE_**

**_Angel 3_**


	3. Chapter Three- Back To School

Chapter Three - Back to School.

By the time the four girls were done catching up on each other's summer's, the train had reached the station and the four of them had to change in a hustle. Dorace story about that cute guy she had meet over the summer was too juicy to focus on anything else. So they only had a few minutes to change into there school unform.

By the time they got out - on the last minute - only the four of them and the marauders were left on the station with only one carriage left in the station.

"Now what?" Dorace asked with an raised eyebrow, looking between the boys and her freinds. It was obvious that all eight of them wouldn't definitly not fit in on one carriage, but then again, who could they leave behind?

"We could always share" Peter supplied not realising the dilemma already on the others head.

"But Peter, all of us wouldn't fit into one carriage" Lily said sounding frustrated. She was not frustrated at Peter, but at their situation. For one Serelina knew that she was cursing that they had to have been stuck on the train station with this set of boys. Or rather one particular boy. James.

"Look Lily, I don't like having to do this either but all of us have to get to school and who are we going to leave behind?" Sirius asked Lily sounding like he really didn't like doing it too. But as he said, what else could we do? Leave one, two or three of us stranded on the train station?

"I can't belive I'm telling this, but Sirius is right, we'll have to manage" Mary said scwoling to show her dislike of agreeing with Sirius. She, after all, had been his fling of the week last year. If Serelina's not wrong, he dumped her right before school let out.

"Fine" Lily grumbled crossing her arms across her chest, hard to give up with that stuborn pride of hers. Serelina would never tell this to her, but at that time Lily strictly reminded her of James right then. The both of them had a stuborn pride about them that just refused to back away, even at crucial times, like this.

Soon enough they - begrudgingly - piled into the carriage, with Dorace sitting on Sirius's lap and while James would have been on cloud nine if Lily had sat on his, Serelina ended up sitting on James lap. Saving James from dealing with a very annoyed and angry Lily - who is very frighting if unnessecarily provoked. And so the others ended up squashed between each other on the carriage seat.

To say it was an uncomfortable ride would have been the understatement of the year. They didn't have space to move a single muscle and James had to start flirting with Lily. For the frustration of everyone inside the carriage.

"So... Lily-flower" James started and Lily audibly grunted. Before James could tell anything else Serelina intervined.

"Come with me on out first hogsmead trip and i'll show you how great I am" she said in a perfectly great imitaion James.

All of them stared at her shockedly, before James broke the dumb silence with a chuckel.

"LINA!" Lily exclaimed going red in the face and sounding freacked out. Serelina blinked at Lily confusedly before saying "I am not Lina Lovely Lily-flower." then pulling James specks, she put them on before adding "I'm James."

James started laughing along with Mary and Dorace. Even Lily smiled amusedly. Remus also looked amused and Peter looked completely lost at what she said. Sirius anyhow looked shocked and even more, surprised.

"But... Your not James, your Serelina" Peter said scratching his head in thought.

"No. I am James Charlus Potter" Sereline said in a serious tone managing to hold a straight face. Which was hard to do when she also wanted to burst out laughing at the confused face Peter made at her words. And seeing as how she was the worst person to hold a straight face for longer than a second or two, this came of a surprise even to her.

"But-" Peter started and James cut him off saying "she playing with you mate, don't take her seriously" and winked at the beady eyed boy who finally understood what was going on. Now that taken care of, Serelina turned her attention back to Lily.

"So, what do you say Lily-flower?" she asked suggestively wagging her eyebrow at the red head and casualy throwing her arm around Lily's shoulder - she did end up sitting next to the James and Serelina.

Rolling her emerald eyes, she pushed her away without an answer. Though she did it still laughing, along with everyone else

"Woah! You sure you are the same girl who stopped by our compartment earlier this lovely evening?" Sirius asked sounding astounded, while at the same time puzzeled. A thoughtful look gracing his handsome face and not forgetting to sound flirtious at the same time.

This wasn't much of a surprise because not many people have seen the carefree and playful girl in Serelina. Mostly just about everyone see's her as the obedient, shy and silent girl, not as the carefree, fun, obnoxious and loud girl that she is. That's because she rarely let that side of her show.

In the presence of her freinds and brother it's fine, but to the face of strangers... Nah, definitly shy and timid. So it explains why Sirius was so shocked to see her as so and such.

"The one and the very same" Remus said with a grin. She spend too much time with him in the library, so her fun side pops out every once in awhile around him as well. On those rare occassions he had seen this side of her, saying why he wasn't that surprised to see her acting that way.

Dorace was shooting Serelina an questionly look. But just as she was about to ask her what the matter was, James said "as much as it's fun, I really do need my glasses Lina" diveting her attention from Dorace questioning look to James.

Just then Serelina looked out in time to see the great castle looming closer.

"Oops, sorry" she said quickly removing the glasses from her eyes and turning around to put it on him. Soon after they piled out of the carriage, greatful for finally being out of that overstuffed carriage. Then from there they slipt up, going in their own way up to the great hall to join the welcoming feast.

Once the sorting was done and the the delicious feast was over, Serelina made her way back up to the Griffindor common room. While the girls stoped to chat on the common room, Serelina went on up to the dorm, feeling exhausted.

As soon as she entered the room, she flopped down on her bed, not bothering to change into her nightdress - or even pj's. Cuddling under the duvet, she soon feel asleep, still in her school robes.

She had just fallen asleep when when she was woken up by Mary calling her and their room door banging shut. Obviously Mary didn't know that Serelina was asleep or she'd not have yelled her freinds name when she ad the other two girls entered there room.

"So what was that ordeal with Sirius?" Dorace asked getting down straight ot the point as was her way. The girls crowded around my bed, sitting down in whatever free space was left.

Completly clueless to what she was talking of she very intelligently said 'huh?' - note the scarsm.

"What Dorace means is, what Black meant when he said and I quote 'you sure you are the same girl who stopped by our compartment earlier this lovely evening' when we were riding back to school" Lily supplied helpfully, knowing very well that her freind had already fogotten the whole thing.

"Implying that you stopped by there compartment earlier when you left us" Mary said in a matter of fact tone.

Serelina grunted pulling herself to a sitting position. "I just went in there to say 'Hi' to James, I didn't see much of him this summer, but that was shortly before Lily joined you" she muttered sleepily, but the girls were sitting close enought that all of them heard her just fine.

"Ah! So that is where you went after we chased all those girls" Lily said laughing. Dorace and Mary looked at each other confusedly, to see if the other knew what Lily and Serelina were talking about.

See this Lily and Serelina filled them in on what happened after the two of them had left Mary and Dorace until they get back to the compartment that the four of them shared.

"But whatever Black meant by 'the same girl who stopped by our compartment' I have no idea" Serelina finished with a shrug of her shoulder. "I mean he doesn't even know me that well" she added as her eyes dropped sleepily - which the girls thought of ignoring for now.

"Your kidding me!" Mary exclaimed suddenly looking at Serelina like she had grown two heads. Lily and Dorace looked just about as lost as Serelina felt. "You spend enough time with the guy for him to know your character, your outer character" she said with a roll of her eyes. "I noticed that when we dated" she went on seeing the disbeliveing look Serelina was giving him.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed, he always spends time with you" she said raising her voice a bit, when Serelina still didn't look convinced.

"I for one agree with Mary, you and Sirius sit cuddling in front of the fire for long hours straight and usualy at time that not much of anyone is around" Dorace said calmly, rolling her marcaraed beatiful brown eyes.

For that while Serelina had a defence, it was a defence that she couldn't use because she had promised Sirius that she would keep it a secret and wasn't anywhere above breaking her promise. Be it that her own freinds don't belive what she says or misunderstand her. She wasn't going to betray anyones trust anytime soon.

"Yeah like once every blue moon" she said exaggerating a bit. "Plus the two of us just talk, is all" she added rolling her eyes but not too keen on trying to convince them that she and Sirius were only just acquaintances, because they were not going to belive her anyway. No matter what she say.

"Seeing as how none of you are about to belive me, I'm not wasting my time with it. So now if you lot are done inquiring I'd like to go to sleep -" she told them in a matter-of-fact tone, waving at the blonde haired girl who just enetered our room as she added a 'hi Marle' in greeting.

"Hey Lina" she greeted back with a twinling smile and light tired wave.

"Goodnight ladies" Serelina called to her freinds as Dorace and Mary went over to Marlene to hear about her lastest make out session. With a flick of her wand, making the curtains close around themselves she flopped back on her bed and fell asleep, the last thing she heard before she fell asleep was a chorus of "G'dnight Lina."


	4. Chapter Four - Start of Year Prank

Chapter Four - Start of Year Prank.

Next mroning Serelina woke-up at 5 in the mroning, feeling completely like crap and a dream - which made no sence at all - going through her head. She sat up pushing her straight silver locks away from her face, trying to make sence of the dream she just had, but it only resulted in giving her a headache. Which wasn't helping her in the least.

So to find something to distract herself with, she pulled herself out of bed and slouched into the bathroom. Where she took a nice long fresh mint scented, cold shower. Though she was feeling fresh and all, her body still longed to go back to bed. She also knew very well that if she does indeed go back to bed she'll fall asleep and feel crappy all over again. So as silently as she possible could, trying not to wake her dorm mates, she pulled out one of her many novels from her trunk and made her way downstairs to the common room.

Upon reaching the almost empty common room -only two seventh years were awake, studying (on their fist day back?) - she cuddeled herself on the couch by the fire and started reading.

Which wasn't helping to distract her mind at all, because not two minutes after she started, she closed her book with with an annoyed huff and stood up. Her mind was somewhere far away from the book she was reading so she couldn't concerntrate on the words and nothing was making much sence. This frustrated her alot, because she loved reading and she couldn't read right then because her mind wasn't processing what she was reading and therfore nothing was making any sence right then.

Tossing the book on the couch and tightening the scarf around her neck she headed outside, feeling grateful that she had remembered to pull on a pair of boots, mittens and a muffler on before leaving the room. Now she wouldn't have to go all the way up again.

Planning on walking around the black lake and visiting Hagrid on her way back up to the castle she made her way out to the grounds. She stuffed her hands into her jean pockets - which she had pulled on in her sleepy state or she'd never have pulled on jeans, and unless it's winter she never wore jeans, denims or any other trouser type dresses as long as she could avoid it - she sleepily strutted across the lawn.

She was still too sleepy , what with her lack of sleep last night. It wasn't that she hadn't slept, it was just that she never slept peacefully. Her sleep is always too filled with dreams and she sleep very restlessly for it to be a proper sleep. But that is also due to the fact that she was used to sleeping next to Nick at home and in school she didn't have anyone to sleep with, which resulted in her restless sleeping.

Though she was used to it by now. Ever since she was a little girl - 9 years to be more acurate - she has been having disturbing dreams the doesn't make much - or any - sence. Actually, she'd be surprised herself if she slept peacefully at all this year. Looking back as to what happened during the summer holiday and Nick still being in the hospital, she was destined to be attacked with nighmares this year in addition to the bad dreams. So there was little to no use pondering on it, or so she thought.

Deciding that she was over thinking she skipped walking round the lake to pay Hagrid a visit.

She knew very well that 5:20 in the morning was too early to pay anyone a visit. But this is Hagrid we are talking about. He'd be awake tending to his monsterous pets (no offence or anything). So she skipped over in the direction of Hagrids hut, hoping he'd be at home rather than in the forest.

Thankfully enough he was outside, tending his vegetable patch. Smiling widely as she saw the huge half-giant man she raised her hand high above her head, in a wave as shouting "hiya Hagrid!" cupping her mouth with her free hand.

He looked up when she shouted - greeted - at him and he too raised his hand as he waved and called "Serelina! How'v yer been?" Then he pulled her into a bone crushing hug as she had just reached him.

"Good, I guess!" she muttered when he let go of her.

"What'd tat mean, I guess?" he asked frowning down at her. She let a small smile slip as she looked back up at him and said "it's just that Nick kinda snapped and decided to kill me with a knife". Looking down at her feet she added "but I don't wanna talk about it, so let's talk about something more pleasent".

And so he invited her into his hut for some tea as he enthusiastically told her about some creature that he was looking after in the forest. Not bringing up her brother at all. Just because she said she didn't want to talk about it.

It was way past six when Serelina finally decided that she had to head back up to the castle. She still had to change into her uniform and her mind was long since back in focus. Hagrid was a great freind. He was the only one in this school -aside from Proffesor Dumbledor and Proffesor McGonall - who knew that she wasn't just any ordinary witch. That she was much, much more than that.

Obviously Lily knew and James had been her freind long before Hogwarts and he too knew that she wasn't just any witch. To be honest, James only knew this because his father - Charlus Potter - was in ways, her protector (and a great freind).

They were the only people - aside from her family - who knew about Nick's split personality. One half loves her as much as the other half wants to kill her.

So she strutted back up to the Gryffindor tower, taking her time to go up in no hurry at all. By the time she reached the common room it was 6:45 and there were students clustered around the common room. Not caring about the time she continued upstairs to her dorm to see all the girls already awake and hustling about getting dressed.

"Lina, where have you been?" Lily asked the second she saw her freind enter their room. She had been a bit worried when she woke up to find her best freinds bed empty. This was Serelina we were talking about after all. That girl didn't wake up this early in the morning. After all, she was the one person everyone had trouble waking up.

"Out" Serelina shrugged uncaringly and thankfully for Serelina, Lily didn't purse the suject but ushered her to dress quickly. Sighing she walked over to her trunk and pulled out her uniform before quickly changing. Then the five of them -Serelina, Lily, Dorace, Mary and Marlane - walked out to breakfast at a leisurely place. They still had 45 minutes of breakfast left

The geat hall was in chaos when the girls entered it. Students were running behind these beautiful white rabbits that had cards with numbers around their necks, held up by ribbons.

"Merlin! They are adourable" Dorace and Serelina yelled - exclaimed - at the exact same time. Then they looking at each other both of them started laughing. Mary and Lily rolled there eyes before pulling their two crazy freinds over to the Griffindor table and sitting down. Unfortunately next to four hysteric boys. Or the infamous Marauders as they call themselves, without the infamous part ofcourse.

Lily frowned just noticing who they had sat next to, but didn't tell anything as she knew her girlfreinds wouldn't like to move. At least she wasn't the one sitting next to Sirius Black who had a really loud bark-like laugh.

"Any one of you know whats with all the rabbits?" Mary asked the Marauders as she put food on her plate, gaining the attention of the four boys they were sitting beside.

"Rabbit hunting?" Sirius supplied with a shrug, only it sounded more like a question than an answer. Still. both James and Sirius had big goofey grins plastered on there face - which was what gave away they the fact they had an insight about the rabbits. Knowing them it was probably the start of year prank. 'They pulled one every year, so what makes this one different? I don't think so', Serelina thought.

Only she seemed to think so, becauce no one else seemed to suspect a thing.

Or maybe that was just because James asked Lily out again, and was shot down again, faster than you could say 'not fair'. The only thing Serelina was thankful for was that the two didn't start bickering like an old married couple, which would have been a nuisance this early in the morning. It can be entertaining sometimes too, but a utter nuisance on the first day back at school. Especially in the morning, when she's already feeling like crap with very little sleep.

She zoned out all conversations around her and concerntrated on her food. Not paying attention to anything, anyone was saying.

It was after all four girls were done eating that Mary asked "you girls up for some rabbit hunting, we still have 15 mins before class starts." Lily and Dorace instantly agreed (Marlane was with her boyfreind, all the way at the ravenclaw table). When Serelina said nothing all three girls turned to her waiting for an answer.

Out of the coner of her eye she noticed the Marauders looking at them, also waiting to hear what she would say. This seemed a bit suspicious to Serelina, because they weren't usualy interested in anything any one but themselves did. Except James who'd willingly stalk Lily for all that was worth it.

"You lot go on ahead" she said in a bored tone and an uncaring shrug of her shoulder.

"Come on Li, it'll be fun and you love rabbits" Lily said with a playfully cute pout. She was making puppy-dog eyes and Serelina was finding it very hard to say no to her when she gots like that.

So she looked down at the table and said "sorry Lily-poo, you three go on ahead". At the last part she threw her hand around Lily's waist -she was standing - hugging her. Poo meant flower in tamil. Serelina had adapted to it on there very first year. Because her favorite flower happens to be Lily and her best freinds name also is Lily. So instead of Lily-flower, she call her Lily-poo. Lily knew the meaning of it too and don't seem to mind it much, since she never really asked Serelina to stop calling her that. "Plus I have a book upstairs calling me and I can't say no to that" she added with a sheepish smile to make it look that she had something else to do. And what better than a book?

"Fine" Lily huffed and removed Serelina's hands from around her waist. Serelina knew that Lily wasn't really mad at her, being Serelina's best freind Lily knew that Serelina loved books more than even herself, and there would be no way to remove Serelina from a book willingly.

Just as she, Dorace and Mary were about to go proffessor McGonal came around handing out timetables.

So instead of going rabbit hunting the four girls started comparing timetables.

"URGH! Lina no ones taking Mermish or Antient Ruins or Gobledegook" Mary grunted clutching her hair as if to pull out. She has been trying to make Serelina drop the subject ever since she started it and all three subjects became a heavy load of homework. None of her freinds knew the real reason that Serelina studied it. Though a bigger part is because she did love the three subjects.

"Actually May, Remus is taking Ancient Ruin too" Serelina said pouting up at her freind, and then looking at Remus. The four of them had been comparing schedules as well, and Remus looked at Serelina at the mention of his name. "Aren't you Remus?" she asked him looking up at him expectantly.

"Yeah, I am" he agreed with that kind smile that never left his lips - at least when looking at someone. Serelina gave Mary a truimphant smile to recieve a dark look in return.

"Mermish and Gobledegook?" she said trying to keep her tone light but a glare came across. And her tone wasn't exactly light, more like dark.

"Your taking Mermish?" James asked - more like exclaimed really loudly - looking at Serelina somewhat shockedly. "But why? Your already so damn good at it" he went on when he got weird looks from the four girls. He nervously ran a hand through his already messy locks, something he tends to do in the presence of Lily. And right then she was kinda staring at him with her mouth hanging open.

"It's interesting to study" Lina said with a nonchalant shrug, not wanting James to start about how good she already was at speacking Mermish.

"Come on Mary, it's useless to try to change her mind. Someones going to find all the adourable rabbits" Dorace called impatiently, having already gone through this same ritual last year too. Plus she knew very well that her freind was not about to change her mind anytime soon and Mary was just wasting her time. She could be rather adament when she really want to be.

"We are speacking about this later" Lily hissed in Serelina's ear and followed the other two away and around the geat hall trying to catch rabbits. She had been talking not about the subject but why 'Potter' Knew something that she didn't.

"Why did you really not join them?" James asked his sister like friend amusedly. "And don't tell me because of a book" he quickly added when she opened her mouth to answer. 'Damn! That boy knew me too well for it to be true.' she thought with a giggle.

"I guess I didn't want to chase around for a rabbit that isn't there" she said with a small smile playing on her lips as she pretended to studied her timetable. Just an excuse to keep her eyes averted from the Marauders. Four audible gasps make her look up to find all four of them looking at her with wide eyes. She laughed softly at the horryfied look on Sirius face and the puzzeled look on Peters face. Though not in a mean way.

"What gave it away?" Remus asked with an amused smile, breaking the shocked silence. Which wasn't really a silence at all.

"Well... For one, I was kind of expecting some prank. Then James and Black were smirking when my girlfreinds inquired about the fuss and when they left" she replied thoughtfully, thinking what gave away that the rabbitss were some form of a prank.

"How did you know that two of those numbered six rabbits were not really there?" Sirius asked suspiciously narrowing his eyes at her, and giving away the prank that she hadn't fully guessed yet.

"Ah! So that's what this is all about. This lot is finding for something that is not there" she said laughing. what she had said earlier 'about finding for something that wasn't there' had just been a guess. And a trick to get them to tell what was going on. She didn't really expect two of the six numbered rabbit's wouldn't be there, just as she hadn't expected her plan'd work. How long do you think it'd take for everyone to realize that two of the six numbered rabbit weren't really there?

**A/N ~**

**Right, I'm sorry guys for not updating in soooo long. but since I'm not getting any feedback, I'm thinking no one is really reading this and it's useless to keep this up... it's not very inspiring to write a story that doesn't get feedback, so a little feed back would be nice guys. I'm thinking no ones liking the story... so please leave a review on what you think and constructive critosism is always welcome. and please point out any typos.**

**R£NΔ ~**


	5. Chapter Five - Her Blood-lineage

Chapter Five - My Blood-Lineage.

Through out History of Magic Lily tried to get Serelina to tell her how the hell James bloody Potter knew that she could speack Mermish. All to no avail because Serelina wasn't giving her a straight answer because she was reading.

After 15 minutes of being ignored she finally turned to take notes, leaving Serelina to read in peace. Though not for long, finding unable to help herself she pulled the book out of Serelina's hand, finally gaining her freinds full attention.

Thankful for not shouting out as her freind pulled her book, Serelina shot Lily and the other two girls - who were completely paying attention - a withering death glare. They did look nervous, but didn't back down. Gryffindors...

"May I please have my book back?" Serelina growled through gritted teeth somewhat annoyedly at Lily holding out her hand. She still remembered to keep her voice low from interupting their HoM proffesor, Mr. Binns.

"Yeah, once you answer our question" Dorace whisper-said turning back to talk to her freind from the table in front of the one Lily and Serelina were sitting in.

Leaning her head on her open palm, Serelina looked side-ways at her freinds and nodded her head. A sure sign asking them to get over with it.

"How the hell does James Friggin' Potter know -" Lily started in a tight voice - Serelina could totaly tell that Lily was barely holding her rant in - but was cut of by said Mr. Potter.

"Yes Lily-flower?" James asked from the table behind which the two freinds were sitting in. He was flashing his arrogant smirk - Marauder tradmark, all four of them had it, only Peter had to master his one more - at Lily, who didn't look back.

She just face palmed herself with a grunt and scolding herself for getting that arrogant-toerags attention. 'Why did I have to tell his name rather loudly?' She questioned herself for indeed she hadn't said his name slowly.

Feeling that Lily brought this on herself by hissing his name so loudly, especially considering he and Black were sitting right behind the two, Serelina decided to stay out of this rageing quarel. Though she did turn around to give James a weary smile. Only he didn't notice her weary smile, because he was too busy staring at his Lily-flower. Note the scarsam.

"Get lost Potter, I wasn't talking to you" Lily growled at him not turning to face him at all. Not that, that ever detered James, though it was a downer. After all, his ego took a massive blow every time she said 'no'.

"At leasr you talk about me with your freinds" He said to her arrogantly, yet confidently, ruffling his hair as he often did in Lily's presence. He knew that wasn't what Lily had been talking about, but his head was too big to take note on what she had been hissing to her frieind about.

Lily gave Serelina an accusing glare and she held up her hand up defencively saying "hey, I didn't say anything"

"Do. Not. Call. Me. Lily-flower. Again" Lily growled at James barely holding in her anger. Realising this, Serelina quickly intervined before James could reply and let loose Lily's anger, which would end someone - mostly her and James - in detention. She did NOT want Lily to have yet another reason to hate James. Like she doesn't enough.

"Distract him" she whispered pleadingly to Sirius who looked at her rather startled, but she didn't give him a chance to react before she turned back to the quarelling pair. "Since your busy figthing with James can I have my book back?" she asked Lily innocently, darting James an uncertain look from the corner of her eye.

Lily turned to Serelina annoyedly, for disturbing her from telling off Potter and was about to give Serelina her book back, when she realised what she was about to do. She shot her innocent looking freind a glare before saying " you still didn't answer me" and completely forgot about telling off James for being an arrogant toerag.

"Which is?" Serelina inquiered witha raised eyebrow, feeling her freind calming down about James, yet working up over the fact he still knew Serelina better than her. So she had to watch what she was telling and not give Lily a reason to blow up.

Looking back at James and Black, Serelina was releived to see the two of them distracted and engaged in deep conversation. Sirius caught her eyes and gave her a quick wink before turing back to James. Smiling and shaking her head she too turned back to Lily, who had missed the small exchange between the two.

"How come that (jerking her thunb behind her) arrogant toerag know that you are good at Mermish and I, your best freind... Doesn't even know you can speak it" she hissed managing to keep her voice low. Still, high enough that Mary and Dorace, sitting on the table in front of them could hear what she was saying.

Serelina blinked once, twice at Lily, having not really been paying attention to their conversation at breakfast. Then she slowly turned her head back to look at James surprised. Sure it ran in her blood and she was really good in speacking it too, and the black lake was filled with them that she could freely practice, but... 'How the hell did he know that I can talk Mermish?' She screamed inside her head, not realising that she muttered that out loud.

"Your telling you never told that to him?" Dorace asked suspiciously, sounding somewhat astounded at the same time.

Serelina looked at her freind startled, before she realised she had thought that out loud instead of in her head. "Not that I remember of. Telling him, I mean" she said lost in thought. Trying to remember if she had told him.

"How do you know that I can speack Mermish?" she suddenly demanded near James, turning to look back at him. Eyebrows furrowed and a little ticked off look on her face as she looked at James waiting for a reply.

"Huh?" he asked completely lost at what she was asking him. You'd be too if suddenly someone demanded something from you that you have no idea what that person was talking about.

Letting out a frustrated groan she repeated her question, wording each word slowly. As if telling a small child.

"Oh that! I - ur - kinda saw you um... Talking to a - ur - a mermaid" he said scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Sirius chocked on air while - for some unknown reason - Lily looked murderous. Remus looked at James amusedly, while Peter looked at all this a

little cluelessly. Mary and Dorace anyhow just looked at the two of them shockedly.

Serelina spluttered "How?... How on earth did you -" but then she cut herself off as she realised exactly how he had seen her talking to that mermaid without anyone else seeing. His invisibility cloak. She shook her head and asked "how long have you know this?" in an inquiring tone.

"Last year when I saw you talking to a mermaid, at around the start of the term" he replied smiling proudly that he knew that. He also knew that she wasn't going to blow out of propotion for this. A fact he was thankful for. Now he could say anything without her having any negative reply.

She looked at him searchingly, but didn't tell anything. The others got tired of their staring off and went back to the lesson leaving the two. Only Sirius was still paying any attention, but that was because he didn't have anyone else to talk to. Remus and Peter was sitting on the opposite side.

"It runs in your blood doesn't it?" James asked smirking once everyone else turned back to the lesson or to mind there own business. Serelinas eyebrow shot up in question cocking her head to the side. She obviously hadn't told him, so how did he know all that information on her?

"I happen to be a pureblood, give me some credit" he scoffed sounding offended.

"Blacks a pureblood and he seems very misinformed" she said sarcastically, her tone disbeliveing and her eyebrow arching even higher.

"That could be because he doesn't pay attention to anything his mother try to drill into his head" James informed to me in a serious matter-of-fact tone, like she already didn't know that. "Hey! That's not true" Sirius piped up in objection to what James said . "I listened to everything that woman drilled into my head" he said pouting like he didn't want to accept it and couldn't let James get away with saying he was obvious to not knowing anything. Boys.

Serelina found him pouting absolutely adourable, not that she'd ever tell anyone that, and this was one of those rare moments/occasions that you saw him for more than an over-egoistic, arrogant, playboy, who loves pranks and his freind more than anything (or anyone).

Keeping those thoughts to herself, Serelina gave James an inquiring look and he sigh rolling his eyes. He pretty much brought this on himself by not keeping his mouth shut, now he had to pay the price. Which was to just answer all the inquiring questions that Serelina asked.

"Did it ever cross your mind that Walgara Black didn't really know anything about your blood-lineage?" he questioned inteligently rasing his own eyebrow.

"That woman did tell me about the Clement bloodline, but she never told anything about them talking Mermish" Sirius put in his arrogant manner, but that only made James give Serelina a truimphant look. She just shook her head, a small smile slipping up.

Sirius looked between the two, seeing James truimphant look at his answer and Serelina's smile. "What?" he asked not liking being kept on the dark. This was one conversation that James and Serlina was having that they weren't talking in riddles and he like having her talk so much, without it being something about him.

"Mate, not the Clement blood line, the Archer blood line" James said sympatheticall patting his freinds arm. He also sounded amused.

"Archer? Hmm... Never heard of it" Sirius said thoughtfully, clearly confused at never having heard of such a pureblood family from his mother. While my family had been amoung the purest of blood for the last some centuries, they were not wizards - therefore any information on it what-so-ever is classified to mostly all wizards but very high ranked wizards amoung them.

Walgara might be amoung high society, but she nor the Black family might not know anything much to drill into there children's heads. No one has that many information on my kind of blood-lineage. So she must not have brought up about it at all.

This time Serelina gave James a blank look knowing very well that it wasn't exactly easy to find information about the Archer blood line, if at all. It wasn't something you exactly find on a book in a library.

"Okay, alright, so I asked Nick about that and he told me it ran in your blood," he said in a ressigned tone before adding "sorry about saying that in front of..." he nodded his head in Lily's direction apologetically.

She smiled at him and patted his hand that was resting on the table. "That's 'kay, nothing I can't deal." she said kindly then leaning backwards whispered "she just letting off steam, it'll pass. Like every storm cloud." Winking she turned back to face the teacher.

"Your freindly with her brother?" Sirius asked James blankly just as the bell rang letting out class.

James shrugged his shoulder and both boys quickly packed not able to get out of class soon enough. Neither could Serelina, because as soon as bell rang she sprang to her feet telling Lily not to wait up for her, she pulled her book from Lily's hand and turned to run out the classroom, only to crash straight into Sirius, who was just getting up to leave.

"Woah! Slow down Love" Sirius said steading the two of them from falling. "You don't have to jump me, all you had to do was ask" he said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrow at her.

The whole clas was staring at the two of them. Waiting to see if she'll slap him or go off yelling.

She just rolled her eyes shortly saying "get your mind out of the gutter Black. I don't have time for this" and then she all but sprinted out of the class, already late for her appointment with proffessor Dumbledor. She already had a whole summer to load onto him.

**A/N~**

**Okay, so this Chapter wasn't all that important, I wrote this solely for the purpose of showing how close James and Lina are. Let me know what you think and suggestions are always welcome. **

**A shout out to Rose13296 for the reviews, thankx a whole lot.**

**Don't forget to, R&R...**

**R£NΔ~**


	6. Chapter six - Detention on the First Day

Chapter Six - Detention on the First Day Back.

"Sugar Snout!" I said to the gargoyle guarding professor Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle moved aside allowing me entrance. I smiled my thankx to the gargoyle and skipped upstairs.

Knocking on the door I entered, without waiting for a 'come in' from the professor. I knew he wouldn't mind as long as there was no one else was inside with him - like another teacher. Anyway I already knew no one was inside because it was silent inside, not that I have super hearing or anything.

"Evening professor" I greeted him as I skipped cheerily into the room.

"Evening Serelina, your on time" Professor Dumbledore greeted me back, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles - giving off the feeling of being x-rayed (only like he was reading into m very soul). "So how was the last few days of summer?" he asked me, settling back on his chair behind the desk.

Seeing Fawkes I bounced over to the bird "Hey Fawkes" I chirped, stroking his feathers softly- Of course the response I revised was a soft musical cry. Chuckling I turned back to the professor. Sighing I took the seat opposite him, slumping slightly.

"If you don't count the fact that Nick tried to ki- hurt me every chance he got, it wasn't that bad... I think" I said then sighed. Who am I kidding? It was the worst summer I ever had. I've have had pretty bad once, but not this extent.

"Do you want to talk about it?" professor Dumbledore asked me, his voice neither laced with sympathy nor pity. That's what I loved best about him. He knew that I didn't want sympathy, I could take care of myself - thought even I admit, someone to lean on every once in a while is good, for myself and everyone else.

I looked down not sure how to answer that question without knowing the answer myself.

"How are you holding up in there?" he finally asked, looking over his half-moon spectacles, after a few moments of silence - not counting Fawkes musical cry's every once in a while.

"Rather good, at least better than I could ever think. The nightmares are complete other matter. I'm barely ever sleeping." I said and then shaking my head, I decided that getting this off would make me feel much better. "The first took me by surprise, I mean; it wasn't like I expected he'd just suddenly attack me like that. He almost hacked my hand off with that butter knife, before he got hold of his conscious. The second time I didn't see it coming, but managed to duck a well aimed flower vase in the last minute. Mom sent me to Lily's for a while till he cooled down, but by the few hours I was waiting for her reply, Nick almost strangled me. Thankfully Edek came looking for me to say goodbye and pulled Nick off me.

After the first two times all of us had been expecting an attack so it wasn't that bad. I didn't get to see my bro since then and I miss him. The ways we used to goof around. I miss him Al. I miss him like hell, him and his million dollar smile and just him. I miss getting his letter every other day asking me how's school and telling me everything that's happening at home and the fight's they'd get into and him boasting that he aced a new skating trick and promising that he'd teach it to me as soon as I get home." I ranted everything out to Albus who listened without interrupting. Tears were pooling my eyes and I have no idea whether they spilled or not.

He was the only one - besides Hagrid, Lily, James, Remus and professor McGonagall - I. school knew about Nick's split personality. One half loves me as much as the other half wants me dead.

Remus I had told to when he told me that he was a werewolf (I had asked, he was kinda skittish to answer so I gave him something to hold against me). At the time I only told it to him because I wanted him to know that he could trust me as much as I trusted he'd keep my secret. It was around second year and at the time Nick wasn't this bad, but still I had to shift from sleeping with Nick to sleeping with John - explains why I slept restlessly, when I'm at school.

James I knew way before school, so he obviously knew and he's too much of a brother to me and I knew he'd never, ever go blabbing about me. As for Lily, She had caught me crying in the middle of the night on countless occasions - before I learned the silencing spell - so I had to tell her. Hagrid felt like a too long lost friends, tough he didn't know the whole story, just the details about my brother. And as head of my house Professor McGonagall _had_ to know, though it was Albus' idea.

I know it was weird that I was telling all this to my head master, but to me he just wasn't a head master. He was much more. My savior, protector, friends, ally, caretaker... and I could go on. So yes he wasn't just my head master, he was also like a guardian to me, he and Charlus Potter.

I didn't tell this to anyone except for the professor. Besides Albus and Charlus no one knew everything that happened, except my immediate family. Not even Lily- my sisterly best friends - didn't know much, Except for the very few things I tell her. Now that I think of it, she barely knows me out of school. She only knows the foundation details.

Sure, I tell her everything that happens in school, every single thing, but I just can't talk about home. Mostly because school is the only place I can escape the things at home and I can't speak of it without having a breakdown. Nick used to be with me so much that I miss every second of it. School is still the same, that's why I love being here so much.

Except for my rare moments of wit - like in the carriage - I'm a keep-to-myself kind of girl. Beside to the girls and James, Severus and sometimes to Remus, I don't talk to anyone much. Sure if someone asks me something I'd reply, just not in many words. I'd keep it as simple and short as possible. But inside the dorm with just us girls, yeah I'll be total different person. It took some getting used to, but after spending four years straight with these girls I got pretty used to having them around. Being the only girl in my family, I did have a tomboyish way often.

So anyway, by the time I was done talking - more like ranting about the worse things that happened - to Albus, it was already lunch so I slouched over to the Gryffindor table and fell into the seat beside Dorace. I noticed Lily missing and Marlene over the Ravenclaw table with her boyfriend that left only Dorace and Mary.

"Where were you girl? You totally missed Arithmacy" Mary asked once I sat down looking around for Lily.

"Yeah hon. it's not like you to cut class" Dorace too agreed with Mary looking at me concernedly. "Even Lily was starting to worry which means you didn't even tell _her_ where you went."

"Sorry. I had to go talk to professor Dumbledore to take care of something. I was kinda late so I forgot to tell before running off" I told with a sheepish smile at the two of them. They already knew I had some problems at home, they didn't know what and after four years with me knew better than to ask.

"Anyway, where is she?" I asked stifling a yawn as I filled my plate. With my lack of sleep last night and today morning, I had trouble keeping my eyes open. Plus I was dreading the potions lesson after lunch. It was the only class - besides arithmacy - that I had trouble with. In potions I at least had Lily and Severus as partners to help me with, as it had been since first year.

Professor Slughorn in particular adores Lily. He'd give James a run for his money if his love for her had been for anything but her amazing talent in potions and all her other classes.

"Probably with Snivillus" Dorace snorted making me frown in disapproval. Yet unlike Lily I didn't voice my distaste of the name out loud. It was useless since they wouldn't stop calling him the James and Black created for him as a way of mocking Severus. Though I hate them calling him that - and I've told James off for calling him that countless times - when they torment Severus, I've never done anything to stop them, just stand by Lily as she defends him.

I had my own reasons for not standing up and it wasn't to suck up to the Marauders as a lot of people thought. Unfortunately, even my friends thought that and I never corrected them. Lily and Severus knew why and that's enough, because they are the only ones important to know. Severus didn't know everything, just little things why I never stood up for him.

It was then that I noticed the boy sitting beside me - or rather looking at me with a curious expression. His handsome, ariscratic features and intense grey eyes were hard to ignore. The silky smooth, curly black hair framing his face that made him look even more breath taking than should be possible. It was no use denying that he was indeed tall, dark and handsome, but it was no excuse for breaking hearts.

I cocked my head, curious myself to know why I held his attention so much so. My sleepy eyes met his wide-awake ones, but before I could ask 'what?' Dorace exclaimed "Oh Lina! I almost forgot, professor Welling asked to pass this over to you." She said that pulling out a detention slip from her bag and handing it over to me.

Professor Welling is my Arithmacy teacher. For some reason - unknown to anyone - the guy hated me. I'm not sure what I did to offend the guy, but I wasn't any close to finding the answer to that question than to getting care of magic creature back in my timetable than the wretched subject called Arithmacy.

"This must surely be some record. Detention on the first day back" James told laughing heartily, saying that they had indeed been eavesdropping on our conversation.

"Yeah! Even we haven't got detention yet" Black put in laughing with James, ever the faithful friends.

I joined in on laughing with them. This situation truly did strike me as funny. I was so gonna get out of that detention. One because I didn't actually skip class and two because I have an excuse letter from professor Dumbledore himself. So I really wasn't in any kind of trouble.

"It's official. She finally lost it" Mary exclaimed dramatically as ever.

"Or maybe a bit too sleepy to actually register what she holds in her hand" Dorace reasoned, sounding just as taken aback by my reaction as Mary. After all it is not always that I get detention. I might be friends with the Marauders - or rather half of them - but I am the bookworm-ish type of person who doesn't get in trouble as long as I could avoid it.

"I'm not that far gone to lose it over a detention slip" I assured the two of them amusedly. James and Black too had stopped laughing and were listening to us rather than minding their own business. "It's just that... Professor knew the reason I wasn't in class. Funny thing is he still gave me detention. I don't have to go. Like at all" I explained to them giggling.

Dorace and Mary were quick catch up my meaning and started giggling. James and Black looked at each other puzzeled-ly and shrugging turned back to their lunch. "I'd love to see the look on Wellings face when he realizes you're not going to be at detention" Dorace snickered, before outright laughing along with me and Mary.

We were still giggling when John slid into the seat right beside, draping and arm around my shoulder.

"Qudditch tryouts are on Sunday" he told casually, more to me than to James and Black. I shrugged off his arm glaring at him and storming out of the great hall.

**A/N ~**

**I know this is more of a filler chapter too, but important things happen, which will answer later questions. on an important note, as ramalan is approaching, and I'm muslim, I don't know when I'll be able to update again, so I'll apologise in advance. If i dont get the chance to update again this month, look forward for an update after the next 18th or 19th...**

**Let me know what you think of tis chapter. Constructive critisism is always welcome and please ignore any typos or errors, i did try to edit, but i dont think i did a thorough job.**

**RENA~**


	7. Chapter Seven - Oblivious to These Boys

Chapter Seven - Oblivious to These Boys.

"LINA! Wake Up!" Lily called for the up tenth time. Trying, and failing, to wake up her best friend - who was moaning out incoherent words and snuggling deeper and deeper into her pillow every time Lily call out to her.

"That's it! Lina either you wake up right now or I'm drenching you in water" Lily threatened her friend, her patience with Serelina running thin.

When she got no response from her silver haired friend, Lily pursed her lips and pointing her want at Serelina's sleeping from said 'Augamenti'.

Water shot out of lily's wand and within moment Serelina was drenched. Said girl shot out of bed screaming and toppled out of bed, tangled in her bedspreads and the curtains around her bed.

"LILY!" she screamed at her friends, pulling her bedspread out of her face but not making an effort to move from the awkward heap she fell in.

Lily, anyhow, had gotten started by her friends fall and rushed to Serelina's side. Helping her untangle herself, she helped Serelina up to her feet.

Yawning and stretching her hands sleepily, Serelina looked at the digital clock on her bedside table and groaned.

"Lily, why on Morgana's name did you wake up at this insane hour? Its 7:30 and it's a Sunday" Lina moaned in protest when Lily didn't let her to get back on bed.

"Because you probably don't want to Miss Qudditch tryouts" Lily grinned at her friend, clueless to the fact that Serelina wasn't going to try out at all.

"Why don't I want to miss Qudditch tryouts?" Serelina questioned, stifling another yawn with the back of her hand and rubbing her eyes with her free hand - trying, rather unsuccessfully, to get the sleep out.

"Why don't you want to-?" Lily spluttered, looking at Serelina incredulously. Lily knew all about Serelina's love for Qudditch, which was the reason that she had actually bought it when John had told her that her friend was going to tryout or the team.

"Lina! John said you were going to try out!" Lily exclaimed, thinking that her friend wasn't thinking straight due to her sleepiness and not guessing that John probably lied to her.

"John said..." Lina trailed off seeming lost in thought. Then frowned, glaring at the floor, huffed and stalked into the bathroom without a word to Lily.

Smiling and shaking her head at her friend, Lily started rummaging through Lina's trunk for cloths that Lina could wear for tryouts. She still thought Serelina really was going to try out, whereas the really reason John had put Lily up to wake Serelina dawned only to his little sister.

15 minutes later, after changing into the clothes Lily'd taken out for her, Serelina stormed into the common room. Clearly she was pissed about being woken up 'at this insane hour' as she put it, without a good reason.

Lily, who didn't understand why her friend was so pissed, followed Serelina clueless-ly down to the common room. Lily could tell that something was wrong and as Serelina's best friend' she knew very well what a 'tantrum' Lina could throw when unnessacerily woken up.

With a murderous look, Serelina scanned the common room until she spotted the back of her brother's head. John, unaware of what he had just gotten himself into, was laughing merrily with the Prewett twins and Kate and the Marauders.

Once she was close enough to the couch her brother was currently lounging on, her eyes flicked momentarily to the thick - and possibly heavy - book Remus was reading. Forcing a sweet smile on her face, she approached the unsuspecting boy and just as sweetly asked "hey Remus, can I burrow your book for a minute?"

Lily, who had been watching her friend's sudden change of mood quite suspiciously, understood what Serelina was up to at once and started motioning for Remus to not give Serelina his book.

Unfortunately - for John - Remus merely shot Lily an amused look, not understanding what she was trying to tell, handed Lina the book.

Lily smacked her forehead at the same time that Serelina gave Remus a hearty 'thankx' and nonchalantly strode over to her brother.

She stopped right in front of him and her murderous look returned full force as she brought down the heavy book on top of Johns head a good few times, before the Prewett twins could refrain her.

"Woah! Woah! Calm down there kitten" Fabien said grinning widely and not having all that much trouble refraining Serelina at all.

"What did John do this time, kitten?" Gideon asked draping his arm around her shoulder - they had pulled her to sit in-between them. Serelina glared at him and he quickly backed away, holding his hand up.

"For waking me up at this unearthly hour and telling Lily that I had wanted to try out for the team" she muttered icily glaring at her brother, who shot her a sheepish smile. "And I wasn't about to such a thing. He got me awake. ALL FOR NOTHING!" the last three words she yelled, throwing the book - still in her hand - with dead aim, at John.

"Alright sweetie, clam down" Kate said to Serelina, picking up Remus' book, mending the dent in it and handing it back to its owner. "Really John?" she questioned sarcastically.

Being John's friend and having spent a lot of summers with them, she knew how pissed Serelina gets when she's awoken without good reason.

This was on account of how little sleep she gets due to her nightmares. So she loves a peaceful night of sleep and practically ardours them. That's the reason she gets so pissed when someone wakes her up without a good reason for waking her up. Every one of them knew that - well, everyone except Sirius, Remus and Peter.

"I needed her help and that was the only way I could get Lily to wake Serelina" John said as a way of explaining, which did nothing to help him. It only added another pair of glaring eyes to the one already glaring at him. Lily's.

"Oh! And you didn't care that I'm the one who'll have to face Serelina's wrath?" Lily questioned John, sitting on the arm of the couch James and Sirius were lounging on. She was too intent on glaring at John to notice whose side she sat beside.

"Sorry Lils, but that was the only way to get you to wake up my begrudging sister. Would you have done it any other way?" John said shrewdly looking at Lily, whose glare only intensified at his words.

"Obviously, and you still don't care that I'm the one who almost got killed as long as you get what you want" Lily hissed through gritted teeth. Barely holding herself from pulling a Serelina and cursing John.

"What!? No!" John exclaimed, looking horrified by Lily's scathing words. "Lils I'm really sorry 'kay, but I really need her help."

Whether or not Lily accepted John's apology, he didn't find out as she had just realised exactly who she had been sitting next to. Gritting her teeth, she jumped up to her feet, caught Lina's hand and pulled her out of the common room before James had time to ask her out.

Groaning, Serelina fell into step beside Lily - she had been nodding off to sleep against Gideon's arm when Lily pulled her, waking her up again. Sleepy enough that she was dragging her feet.

Once they entered the Great Hall, Lily spotted Dorace, Mary and Marlene; she dragged Lina over to them.

"What happened to you?" Mary asked Lina incredulously.

She was looking a bit of a mess. Her usual neat and straight silver locks were all tangled up. Even though she bathed, she had forgotten to run a comb through her hair - hence the messy, bed head look. Her eyelids heavy with sleep and dropping heavily over her crystal blue eyes. Not to mention the dark circle under her eyes.

Yep, a definite mess.

Serelina just shrugged her shoulder, slumping against the table.

"John told me that she was trying out for the team and to wake her up. I didn't want her to miss tryouts so I woke her up" it was Lily who explained to their friends.

"But she's not really trying out, is she?" Dorace stated sympathetically.

"I still can't believe you took him seriously" Serelina half-said, half-exclaimed. Forcing herself to not throw her hands up in frustration.

"Someone called?" a smooth familiar voice asked from her right and she looked up to see Sirius standing there with a smirk gracing his handsome, aristocrat features.

A brunette stood on his side, looking desperate to get his complete attention. She gave a tight smile to Lina, but her frown was evident.

Frowning and biting her lips in thought, Lina shook her head.

"She said seriously Black, not Sirius" Dorace told, trying to help her friend out. Knowing for sure that in her sleepy status Serelina wouldn't think of what she was telling them - had she been wide awake, or even just awake - not half awake like she was now - she'd laughed at Sirius' inquiry and said something equally dismissive. Sure, Dorace had a crush on the boy - who didn't? - But she wasn't fazed by that as she talked to Sirius. Unlike Mary, who was trying to stifle her giggles.

"Come on, Sirius. You should eat something before tryouts" the brunette besides standing beside him said in what she thought was a sultry voice, but, which only annoyed Sirius.

Rolling his eyes, he left to sit with the rest of his friends.

Just then John strolled up to the girls and squeezed himself between Lily and Lina. Earning himself a glare from the two.

Ignoring Lily's glare, he draped an arm around his little sister and leaned against Lina. "So... Qudditch tryout are today-" he started to say, but before he could finish, Serelina slammed her hands on the table and whirled around to face her brother.

"For the last time John, I'm not trying out. The next time you ask me that I swear I'll hex you to oblivion. I'm sure 'that'll' make a good impression on you new team. So for the love of Merlin. Leave. Me. ALONE!" she hissed at her brother, standing up to leave in a huff.

Boredly, John caught her wrist. "Chill, I'm not asking you to tryout," he told her nonchalantly, when she reached for her wand. This declaration left her so stunned that her hand froze half-way to her wand and she looked at John confusedly.

Taking advantage of her shocked state, he pulled her down to sit and wrapping his arm around her waist leaned his head on her shoulder.

"I want your lovely help sorting out my team" he whispered, mostly to her neck as his head was leaning on her shoulder.

"Why?" Serelina asked her brother like she couldn't be bothered with it. He looked up at her looking mock-shocked-ly. The two of them were doing a pretty good job at ignoring all the weird looks everyone passing shot them.

They were sister and brother, how awkward do you think it'd seem to anyone who looks? He had his arms wrapped around her waist and seemed - to anyone who looked - like he was coddling her.

"Because you want Gryffindor to win the house cup as well" he told her sounding highly offended.

Rolling her crystal blue eyes, she said, "Not that. What happened to, you said and I quote ' the perfect team' you and Edek worked out during summer?"

"Yeah, well, you disagreed with everyone but Potter, Black and... Who was that other guy?" he told, sheepishly smiling at her.

"Russell Twinge" Serelina sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Practically the only old players who didn't leave school already" Lily stated, sounding somewhat amused. After all when recalling her summer to the girls, Serelina had mentioned the long talks and arguments concerning Qudditch.

"Actually Lily-flower, us (motioning to himself and Sirius) and Twinge aren't the only old players who didn't leave school" James, who had just walked up to them, informed Lily, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Yeah, Tory Scoffel and Arwen Dilt from fifth and seventh year are still in school too" Sirius added, staring at Serelina - like he was trying to figure her out.

"She doesn't like Arwen because he was flirting with her and didn't stop until she threatened to hex him" Mary informed the table, laughing lightly at the memory.

Serelina scoffed. "If I choose my team that way, I'll barely have male players on my team" she told the matter-of-factly, gracefully tossing her hair behind her shoulder. She didn't even seem to notice how many boys' eyes followed her graceful move lustfully. Something that everyone around her, but she, noticed.

"I don't think Dilt should be on the team because he shows off more than play. I mean I wouldn't care much if he shows off and actually play. Like James and Black" she went on not noticing a thing. Her voice had a no argument ring to it that the boys were all gaping at her. Even Dorace and Mary were doing it. No one beside Lily, John and James knew the extent of Lina's live for Qudditch, hence they hadn't heard her actually talk so passionately about it.

"Plus, if he had played that day on our first year, we might have won the cup. Instead of losing it to Slytherin." she finished in a huff, crossing her arms across her chest, glaring at no one in particular.

"You still remember that?" John asked his sister incredulously, while James burst out laughing.

"Lina, Lina, Lina. You really need to let go of that you know" James laughed as he flopped down on the other side of Serelina and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"So what do you say Li?" John asked, giving her a sweet innocent smile.

Frowning, she twisted her lips in thought.

"For chocolate cauldrons?" John quickly added with a pleading look. "And a book. Muggle."

Smiling, she said "you've got yourself a deal. I'll be down in the pitch in... 15 minutes". Then shrugging off both her brothers and James arms she got up to leave, once again, not noticing the many eyes that followed her... Until she was out of eyeshot.

"I don't get it" John stated once she was gone. "How on earth can she be so oblivious about all these boys who'd love to go out with her?"

"Easy. She just likes Moony here. She's not interested" James said with a shrug in reply to John, stuffing his mouth with food.

"Or maybe because she doesn't think like a boy and doesn't have her mind in the gutter" Lily hissed annoyed at James before storming out of the great hall too.

**A/N~**

**Firstly****, I wrote th****e last Chapter ****from Serelina's P.O.V. Since I originally wrote this from her point of view before writing in third person… I haven't changed when typing. ****I didn't notice this until after I published it and now**** I'm too bored to change it, so**** please**** don't mind**** this**** much****, ****I'll ****try and c****hange it as soon as**** I**** find the inspiration to edit. Really sorry guys.**

**Secondly, what do you think of this chapter. I know it wasn't all that important, but during fourthey year, nothing really happens, besides Lina getting to know the Marauders a little better, so please bare with me. and don't forget to:**

**VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE...**

**R£NΔ~**


	8. Chapter Eight - Qudditch Tryouts

Chapter Eight - Qudditch Tryouts.

Serelina reached the Qudditch pitch 15 minutes later, and already, there were Gryffindors' who wanted to tryout littering the pitch. Some were in the bleachers, here to watch tryouts.

Her crystal blue eyes scanned the pitch, trying to find her brother. She spotted James and Sirius a few feet away, heads put together and in deep discussion about something Serelina couldn't hear.

Seeing them, she looked up at the bleachers and sure enough, Remus and Peter were there. Probably here to support their friends and see how tryouts went.

Shaking her head, she diverted her attention, once again, to find John. She didn't have to look long as a hand landed on her shoulder and her brother's voice went, "I was just starting to think that you were going to abandon me".

Turning around to face him with a roll of her eyes, she saw her brother pouting at her. She didn't even notice half of the attention that she was receiving - if at all. Anyhow, when she turned around John grinned cheekily up at her.

"So... Any idea how we should start?" he asked her looking around at the big crowd of Gryffindors a bit nervously.

Biting her lip, she too looked around, unsure how she could help. It wasn't exactly like she had gone to tryout before, to have a clue as to what happened in these things.

"Um... How about we make them fly around to actually see who can fly?" she suggested, looking pointedly in the direction of a gaggle of first years that looked like they had no clue, what-so-ever.

"Good idea. Than we can separate them into four teams and then start tryouts" John agreed enthusiastically. Then he turned to the chattering crowd of Gryffindors, tried to get their attention.

"Alright everyone! Pay attention!" he called loudly to the pitch, but his voice was instantly drowned out by the excited clattering crowd.

John looked at Serelina and she shrugged, looking clueless. "You lot, pay attention" he called even more loudly. Yet only the few Gryffindors standing close dropped what they were doing to pay attention.

Sighing in frustration, Serelina pulled out her willow wand and flicked it up at the sky, causing a loud 'bang' to erupt that successfully got everyone's attention. It also managed to freak out the first years.

"Thankx Lina" John muttered to her out of the corner of his mouth, before he turned towards the Gryffindors.

Rolling her crystal blue eyes, she cocked her hip - keeping her wand at hand, in case - and looked up at her brother as he ordered everyone around.

As John made everyone fly around in groups of ten, each. Serelina leaned against the stands and boredly looked at the clear, bright sky, day-dreaming about being in bed.

Her suggestion to make everyone fly around turned out to be a pretty accurate one, for by the time John was through with making them fly, only half of them remained on the pitch.

John was yelling at some guy, when she felt someone's eyes on her. Looking around her crystal blue ones met with an intense pair of cloudy grey eyes - staring right at her. His dark curly locks were tugging against the wind and his perfectly sculptured face had a look about them that said 'scrutinizing'.

She raised a perfectly arched, silver brow at him in question - he was standing a good 10 - 20 feet away from her - almost getting lost in those cloudy grey orbs of his. Then again, this might have been due to the fact that she was too sleepy to really pay attention.

He smirked - that trademark Marauder smirk - in reply, but just then James elbowed his friend in the side and muttered something to Sirius, snickering - not noticing the exchange between the pair.

Smiling and shaking her head at the two boys, she turned back to her brother, but had she been paying attention, she'd have seen that Sirius looked back up at her, before he and James separated to be on the team they were trying out for.

Sirius with the Beaters and James with the Seekers.

John decided that he wanted to decide his Keeper first - as there were very few of them left - and so tryouts began.

The Keeper turned out easy enough to choose. Patrick Whatnot had saved the most goals and therefore, rightfully won the place as Gryffindors Keeper.

Next John wanted to choose his Chaser - as they were the biggest group.

To this Serelina barely paid attention. She decided that, being a Chaser himself, John could handle this himself.

Soon enough, even sooner than the Keepers though there were less of them, John had chosen his Chasers. Anne Stilee and - most unfortunately, for Serelina - Arwen Dilt. He had, after all, scored the most goals.

Even Serelina admitted that he was a good player... When he was concentrating on playing. Plus, he didn't have too many admirers to show off to at tryouts - like in games.

Next they moved on to the Beater - as Seeker was harder to choose.

By then, Serelina had already gotten bored from staring up at the sky, keeping track of who played better. Not to mention how sleepy she was getting by staring at the sky for so long.

That was why she closed her eyes - still leaning against the stands - too sleepy to keep them open.

Just as she did, she heard someone yelling her name and just when she opened her eyes, someone grabbed her arm and yanked her to the right. And then she heard a loud 'thud' just where she had been standing a second ago.

Off in the distance she could hear John yelling, "Watch where you hit the damn Bludger Corray or you're going to take someone's head off." Even by then, John had paused tryouts to check on his little sister.

Serelina, anyhow, stared up at Sirius, disoriented. He was still on his broom, hovering just above the ground, staring down worriedly at Serelina, having caught her dipped back in his haste.

She was puzzled to find herself dipped back, in the arms of Sirius Black that she blinked up at him confusedly. She still was trying to understand what had happened.

"Lina! Are you okay?" James yelled in worry as he swiftly landed down next to Sirius. Still peering at the girl in his arms worriedly, Sirius helped her to her feet, just as John too joined them.

"Are you hurt? The Bludger didn't get knock anywhere did it?" John asked panicked-ly, looking at his silver haired sister up and down, examining her for any injuries.

And that's when it finally clicked to Serelina what had happened.

Corray had hit the stray bludger towards Serelina - not on purpose - and just as it was about to knock on her, Sirius had pulled her out of the way - hence having caught her dipped back. He couldn't have hit the bludger without knocking his bat on her head, so had pulled her out of the way.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Black saved me in time" she told her brother, tucking a stray silver lock of hair away from her face. She shot Sirius a small smile in thankx and he gave her a curt nod back, smirking his infamous Marauder smirk. Though he still looked slightly worried.

John eyed her wearily. Not seeming to believe her. "I'm fine John, just get over with tryouts already... I want to go back to bed" she told him, a hint of irritation seeping into her voice.

John laughed at his sisters words, reassured that she really was fine. If she could be irritating then she is perfectly fine. Then he resumed tryouts and everyone was back in the air.

Sirius stayed back a moment, staring at Lina with a blank expression. He seemed to doubt her words.

She smiled at him, cocking her head to the side - like a bird. His staring was making her nervous, but for all outer appearances, none of her nerves showed.

"You positive you are fine? You still look a bit pale" he commented off-handedly, gripping his broom tighter, getting ready to take off at her answer.

Laughing lightly, she crooned "Aw... My knight in shining armor." Then with a bigger smile she added "yeah, I'm perfectly fine. You better get back to tryouts... Unless you want to lose your place as Beater."

Nodding his head at her answer, he deciding it wasn't his place to dig anyway. Then shooting her another smirk - for her cheeky statement - he took off, back to tryouts.

The rest of Qudditch tryouts went by smoothly without anymore incidents like that.

Then finally he decided on his Beaters. Gideon and (duh?) Sirius.

Moving on to his Seekers, James, obviously got chosen as Seeker - for his awesome reflexes and his perfect practice with flying - weaving in and out of players strategically.

Happy that John was finally done choosing his 'winning team', Serelina hurried upstairs with her brother and Gideon for lunch.

The reason Fabian wasn't a part of the team was because he was more interested in commentating that he hadn't tried out for the team.

As for Kate. She had pretended to sprain her ankle and skipped tryouts. Don't even ask about Leana (pronounced Lay-na), as she didn't fly. It messed up her perfectly set-up hair.

**A/N~**

**Hey everyone, I sincerely apologise for the loong wait and I hope this chapter makes up for it. I'd also like to thank everyone who took there time to leave a review. It means a lot to know that you guys are enjoying my story. Ignore any typos point out any mistakes. Ideas, as always, are welcome.**

**Oh! And before I forget, please check out the one shot I wrote called One and Only Dance'. Its a sirius×oc fanfic, but not serelina... and would any of you care yo read if i write a Percy Jackson Fanfic. It's Luke/OC, I'm still working on the plot line, just asking is all.**

**VOTE, SHARE and COMMET.**

**R£NΔ~**


	9. Chapter Nine - A Secret Revealed

Chapter Nine - A Secret Revealed.

After lunch, Serelina told Lily that she was going to take a nap - as she hadn't slept last night. She promised Lily that she'll be down in the library to finish her homework as soon as she got up.

And that was exactly what she did another two hours later.

Running down to the library, she soon spotted her friends fiery red hair. Lily wasn't alone. She was there with Severus. This obviously didn't matter to Serelina as she was friendly with him too - ever since Lily decided to talk to her actually.

"Hey guys!" Serelina greeted in a whisper, plopping down on the vacant chair and dropping her bag to the floor...

"About time you got here" Lily told her in a stern voice. "You have a potions essay and Herbology essays and a whole passage of Ancient Ruins to translate, all due tomorrow."

"You went through my homework." Serelina told beaming at her red headed friend. She knew that because she didn't take Ancient Ruins with her, so Lily must've taken the privilege of going through Serelina's homework for her.

"Anyway, I already finished bloody Herbology and I was kinda hoping one of you two'll help me with Potions." she went on, not waiting for Lily's reply - to her first question.

"How about no, for putting off working on it till the last minute?" Lily huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, looking somewhat pissed.

Serelina pouted at Lily and turned to Severus with her best pleading expression.

"Fine" he replied to her with a shrug and she threw her hands around him with a happy exclamation. She got shushed by the students nearby, but Severus laughed softly and patted her back.

"Severus" Lily said once again in her stern voice. Serelina looked at Lily around Severus, her hand still around his shoulder, and told "Aw... Don't be such a party pooper Lily-poo."

Seeing the annoyingly adorable puppy face Lina was pulling of, Lily couldn't help but laughing - softly, since they were in the library. Then shaking her head, she went back to her own homework. They took this as a sign that they could proceed.

So with Severus' help, Serelina started working on her potions essay since that was the only subject she needs any help with.

Serelina skipped dinner to finish her Ancient Ruins translation and asked the two to go on ahead of her. So Lily and Severus left her in the library to go grab some dinner.

But even when she was done with her translation, she moved on to the Arithmacy homework - which thankfully wasn't due tomorrow. She was in her home working mood and when she got like that, she'll do all her homework at a stretch. Not even stopping to take a break.

This didn't happen all that often, much to James relief.

She usually did all her homework at night - or with Lily. Mostly at night due to the fact that she couldn't sleep, because of her nightmares - which she got often enough.

It was way past midnight when she was through with her Arithmacy homework and not at all feeling sleepy, she started on her Transfiguration essay - also not due tomorrow.

Since she actually enjoyed the subject and was very interested in it - for somewhat personal reasons - she got immersed in her essay and didn't resurface until she had a whole 2 feet longer essay than necessary. Not to mention her slightly slant, cursive writing was small when writing essays.

Now that she was done with all her homework, she gathered all her stuff tiredly and made her way up to Gryffindor tower. Feeling highly thankful towards James for showing her more than a few shortcuts to get there quick.

She did not want to get caught wandering down corridors after hours. She didn't know the time, but she knew it was wa...y past midnight.

Giving the password to the fat lady - and apologizing many a times - she clambered in through the portrait hole and into the red and gold common room.

Serelina checked the time to see that it read 1:00 a.m. stretching her arms tiredly; she started towards the girl's staircase, not noticing the other single occupant on the common room.

Strangely enough, he didn't seem to have noticed her standing their either. He should have heard the portrait hole opening and closing, but he was engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't see her come inside.

She was about to step onto the staircase, when he sighed, slumping as he tore the newspaper in his hand and tossed the smaller piece into the flames.

Serelina whirled around, pulling her willow wand out of her robes and pointing it at the boy sitting cross-legged in front of the fire. The familiar blob of silky, curly black hair told Serelina who it was. Lowering her wand, she stuffed it back into her robes.

Silently she watched Sirius for a moment, then - like him - at the piece of paper he had thrown into the flames, burn up.

Once the paper had slowly crumbled to ashes, he tore off another piece of paper and threw it into the flames too. Completely unaware of the girl silently watching his actions, contemplating whether she should talk to him or leave him be.

She watched the way his muscles flexed when he tore apart the newspaper.

'Urgh, I'm too sleepy, that's why my thoughts are straying' she rolled her eyes at herself. She couldn't help it that he was too good looking for his own good. Then again she didn't realize that she was too good looking for her own good too. She was the one who didn't even notice all the - male - attention she got.

Slowly she made her way over to him, dumping her bag on a couch on her way. But he was too intent on staring at the burning paper to notice her presence, even when she was standing so close to him.

Tentatively, she reached out and laid her hand on his shoulder and he whirled around to face her, startled. But when he noticed that it was only Serelina he relaxed, giving her a forced smile.

"You alright?" she asked him softly, flopping down next to him - with no invitation. She already knew that everything wasn't fine.

He shrugged and looked back at the flames.

Serelina stated silent, opting, instead to look at the flames, just like him.

After a moment or two he sighed. "I don't know Lina. I just wanted to get out of my head for a while and staring at the flames helps me clear my head" he replied softly, looking down at the newspaper in his hand.

"I know" Serelina told him, equally as softly as him.

He looked at her cocking his head, wondering how she could know that.

"You told me. In our... first or second year, I think" she explained, smiling a reassuring smile at him.

And he remembered. This wasn't the first time she had stayed up with him, consoling him, when his family gets to him and he feels miserable. Not by a long shot. Of course he remembered all that. Those were the proper times he ever really talked to her.

Nodding his head, he turned back to the flames. She being there wasn't a disturbance to him, unlike most people's presence. Or rather, most girls.

Sure he likes shagging up with them or whatever, but he always gets tired of their presence after a day or two. The most he had gone with is a week, but that was with girls who could actually hold their end of a conversation.

Serelina was different. She didn't like him like that. She saw him as a person. A person with huge family issues, but a person none-the-less. She didn't see him like a trophy to be won over. She had common sense and she could actually be pretty fun to hang out with - sorely as friends (James would kill him, literally, if he thought of her any other way).

And to Sirius, James meant more than any girl ever would.

A few minutes passed between them and no one said a thing.

Serelina shuffled around, making herself comfortable and slowly leaned her head on Sirius arm. This was a solely friendly gesture and both of them knew that well.

Sirius also guessed that she was sleepy enough that she was being so forward with him. This was the girl who slapped a fifth year Slytherin, last year just because he had caught her hand.

This had also scared a majority of boys for approaching her and she had indeed received detention for her actions, but still...

"And if I remember correctly, staring into the flames makes you sleepy" Sirius told chuckling; feeling more relaxed than before she had joined him.

She hummed in response, sleepily. Then she tilted her head up to meet him eyes and said "if I'm being a nuisance to you, I can leave".

He looked down into those expressive crystal blue orbs, noticing how close she was for the first time. She was close enough that he could clearly see the silver flecks brightly in the faded colored orbs.

The silver should be more visible, he mused. Since crystal blue was such a faded, light color and silver was such a flashy color. Yet, you couldn't see the silver in her eyes unless you stared at them really closely.

All these were fleeting thoughts that crossed his mind in the span of a single second.

Blinking, he said, "Never mind. You don't have to leave. And for the record, you are not a nuisance."

Laughing, she shook her head, ignoring his cheesy reply and turned back to the flames.

"So... Why aren't you with the guys? Isn't these the kind of times that you guys pull pranks?" she asked, unconsciously hooking her arm around his - to lean in him more comfortably.

"Ah... They don't know I'm brooding down here. They think I'm doing homework" he replied to her, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Serelina looked up at him confusedly. This seemed hard to believe, for her. Sirius wasn't the type to be doing homework in the middle of the night. Besides Remus, none of them were.

"Or so they thought, when they went to bed at around 11:30" he explained further and understanding dawned on her face. Nodding her head, she turned back to the fire.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, staring at the flames.

Serelina was just nodding off to dreamland, when Sirius voice broke through again.

"Whoever that bloke is, that wins your heart, and he is one lucky bloke, probably the luckiest" Sirius stated out of the blue. Pulling away from her and laying his head down on her lap. He knew she wouldn't slap him because they both were in a somewhat serene atmosphere.

Serelina laughed dryly, making Sirius to peer up at her curiously. "I doubt anyone attached to me would be as lucky as you make it out to be" she muttered more to herself than to him. But in the silent common room it was easy for Sirius to pick up her words.

Lifting his head up to her level, he stared into her eyes, cocking his head to the side, very much like a dog.

Smiling to herself she pushed back and slid over to the couch, leaning her back as she smiled nostalgically up at the ceiling.

"My family is quite messed up too" she started in a small voice, making Sirius to crawl over to her to hear properly. "I haven't seen my parents ever since I was seven and my poor elder brother loses his mind every now and then and tries to kill me. I literally have a person who wants to kill me, someone worse than Voldermort himself."

she had to give him credit, he didn't so much as flinch hear the name of the most feared wizard of all times.

Sirius was silent for a while, processing her words.

"So you think your brother is a worse wizard then... Voldermort. Why?" Sirius asked curiously, once again cocking his head like a dog that had gotten wind of something interesting.

Except for the pause before he told Voldermorts name, there was no other indication that he shouldn't be saying his name. This was so brave of him that Serelina had to smile up at the ceiling.

Then she shot him a blank look, for the question he asked her. Seeing the puzzled expression gracing his sharp, aristocrat face, and her brows furrowed in confusion.

"You do know what I am... Don't you?" she asked him uncertainly, for she really had believed he already knew.

When he frowned, she knew he really didn't know.

"James never told you?" she questioned, confusing his further. "That I'm a Loralie."

**A/N -**

**I sincerly apologise for the loooong wait, but I didn't have a moment to myself this past month. My uncle came from dubai and left his two kids here, now I've got my hands full and don't have a miniute to myself to type. I promise I'll try updating as often as I can, but no promises. Oh and since I'm obessed with Pirates of the Caribbean, I wrote a fix called Princess Pirate. please check it out.**

**Don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE.**

**Rena~**


	10. Chapter Ten - Admiring Her

Chapter Ten - Admiring Her.

Sirius' eyes widened at her declaration. He knew that she was one of the brightest - and beautiful-lest - witches in school, but he would have never guessed that she was Loralie.

They were probably the most pure-est of blood, and when we speak of pure, we are speaking of unicorn blood pure. Not to mention, they were also very powerful, their knowledge on magic more advanced and more ancient at the same time.

For Loralie, magic came to them like breathing. They didn't need to be taught to use magic, as normal theory didn't apply to them, and they could possibly see a spell performed once and successfully repeat it. Well, wizarding magic at least.

Loralie magic would require a little more concentration and practice.

'It's not all that surprising' Sirius thought, 'she is the sweetest, friendliest, most fairest, most brilliant person I know. Secondly, she is beautiful. Not just beautiful, so breath-takingly beautiful, that she's almost too intimidating to approach.'

This was an accurate way to put it.

With her long silver hair cascading down her back in a lustrous waterfall and falling to her waist, the way her eyelids would fall over those ensnaring crystal blue orbs - almost slow and seductive (not that she does so on purpose) - and how her long lashes would kiss her cheeks as she blinked. How she would chew on those rosy, full lips when she's lost in her thoughts and the way they scream to be kissed - and many a boys would love to comply - but she never does.

All of those simple, enchanting things about her - the simple things that she wasn't even very aware of doing - was enough to drive any bloke over the edge, straight or not.

Then there was her shaped and fit body, curved in all the right places. Her somewhat fair, yet pale skin and her long legs. She truly was supernaturally good looking - a fact she didn't accept about herself.

While all these things were startling, Sirius gaped at her in shock - the act of processing this information she just gave to him - but his gaping was making Serelina uncomfortable.

A fact that didn't go unnoticed by Sirius. He quickly composed himself - he didn't want to scare her away. Or worse make her feel uncomfortable when she went out of her way to make him feel comfortable with her presence.

Snapping his mouth shut, he laid back down on her lap, easing a smile onto his lips.

"I still don't get how your brother is a bigger threat than Voldermort" he stated lightly.

He could feel the relief wash over her, that he wasn't making a bigger deal of this than necessary. He could feel her tensed body relax and sub-consciously run her hand through his silky, soft, curly locks. Not that he was complaining. He loved it when she did that - it calmed him down in way more ways than staring at the fire would.

"You must already know that Loralie are very powerful, much more powerful than wizards, but even we have limitations and boundaries. Rules. So on the rare occasion that one of us does go berserk... Well, they're more like Voldermort - only with more advanced, yet ancient power. There is no limit they aren't willing to cross and rule to break, if not destroy.

Of course Nick isn't a threat to everyone as a whole, rather than to me and myself alone - oh and the people I surround myself with. So maybe you can question whether he really is a threat or not, I guess" she explained to him in a soft voice.

This was all very fascinating to Sirius, as this was the one part of the wizarding world that remained a secret. Not even the department of mysteries has hacked into the powers of Loralie. There power, structure and status remained a mystery to no one but themselves.

As Serelina had told James the other day, Walgura Black didn't know anything about them to drill it into her sons head. So yes, this fascinated Sirius a lot.

"Every single Loralie has a split personality a bad side and a good side. Our natural personalities are good, but if you cross a Loralie, they'd make you feel that you've never met them in the first place. For Nick, his bad personality turned a bit... Evil. Not very natural for our kind as we are normally peaceful creatures, but it happens every now and then. Yet no one has had a personality like Nicks. He's normal most of the time. Kind, caring, loving, sweet... Everything that make a Loralie... Well a Loralie. I'm scared that his stability won't hold for much longer, give or take a few years." she explained further, entrapping Sirius in her world, taking him further than he'd ever dreamed of knowing about a Loralie.

A pause followed her entrapping, tale. The two of them lost in their own thoughts, not comfortable, but not uncomfortable either. Somewhere in-between. Serene.

Then Serelina laughed lightly and added, "So no, whoever ends up with me wouldn't be as lucky as you made it out to be."

This bought on a mini argument on the matter, the serious atmosphere turning lighter with each word. Their argument soon turned into light conversation - something the both would forget as soon as they separated - and soon enough Sirius fell asleep on her lap, with her continuing to stroke his hair.

Seeing his peaceful face, Serelina couldn't find it in herself to wake him and ask him to go to bed. Besides he looked so comfortable and adorable lying there, she just didn't want to break that. Especially not after the bad mood he'd been in when she found him.

But she couldn't sit there staring at his sharp, aristocratic, beautiful face like a creep, so she took her wand back out of her robes and pointing at her bag thought 'accio' History of Magic book.' Instantly the book zoomed into her hand and she buried herself in it.

Somewhere around three hours later, Sirius woke up. His head still cradled on Serelina's lap, her hand unconsciously continuing with gently stroking his hair. His face pressed against her abdomen.

This came of a surprise to Sirius. As he very well remembered what she did to that Slytherin boy last year.

Serelina didn't let a single boy near her - well diss James, he was too much of a brother to her, for her to see him as anything else. Besides he knew her too well, to be true - this is why it surprised Sirius so much. That she hadn't pushed him off her.

She never, ever lets any boy to get near her - or rather lay a finger on her. Ever.

Still... He rolled over, slightly away from her, not wanting to get caught smoldering her. He didn't want a repeat of what happened to that Slytherin.

Besides, even if she doesn't, James would kill him for this. As soon as he found out, that is - which Sirius didn't doubt wouldn't happen. James saw Serelina too much like a sister and he could be very over-protective of her when necessary.

Even towards his friends. She was off limits to them, very much like his own sister would be.

And if there was one thing that Sirius would not do, that will be to get James angry at him. He'd rather miss shag with every girl in this world than to have him and James in a tiff. Even a small one for a stupid reason.

He didn't, anyhow, have to worry about a repeat of what happened to that Slytherin boy. Besides shifting a little when he moved she went on reading not noticing that he was awake. Something that Sirius noticed as well.

'So much for worrying about getting James kill me' Sirius sighed, 'She didn't as much as glance away from her book'.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he leaned back a bit - but making sure that her hand didn't fall off his hair - and read the cover, title, of the book. Wanting to know what she was so engrossed in, that she didn't notice him shifting around her lap.

"WHAT! You're reading Hogwarts a History, again" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Not having noticed he was awake and taken by surprise, Serelina yelped and lost hold of her book, which fell to the floor with a loud 'thud'.

"Sirius, you're awake" she breathed in her melodious voice, laying a hand over her heart. Like that'll slow it down. Sirius was more than happy to note that her hand stay locked on his hair and didn't fall away.

Chuckling lightly, he picked up her book and handed it back to her. "Where did you get this from?" he questioned as he handed her book back to her.

"Bag" she muttered drowsily, nodding at her bag which was on the opposite couch and well out of reach.

Sirius raised his eyebrow at her. He knew that there was no way that she'd go all the way there, take her book and sit back under him. Not happening.

"Accio" she replied, rubbing her eyes in a childish way that he found rather adorable. Then she let out a tongue curling yawn, stretching her arms tiredly.

This made Sirius to look at his watch, and his eyes to almost pop out. For the time was 4:00 a.m.

"Lina, you should've woken me and gone to bed" he told her conversationally, but she could still hear the reprimanding tone in his voice. He looked up at her exceptionally, not making a move to get up from her lap either.

"But you looked so peaceful" she told with a small smile gracing her rosy lips. She told that in a casual tone, like she stayed up because someone slept in her lap often. Truthfully, Sirius hadn't seen her awake after hours with anyone except herself - sometimes with him and even rarely with James.

But the last part was due to the fact that the two always spoke in the boy's dorm. A silence charm around them and cuddling up in bed - in a purely platonic way.

"You didn't sleep because I looked too peaceful to be awoken?" Sirius questioned her incredulously. Then not waiting for a reply he exclaimed "Lina, we have school tomorrow!"

"Sirius?" James voice drifted over to them, like it was the ending of Sirius exclamation.

Sirius finally got up - going with the she's like his sister so she is off limits theory - and looked over the couch to see James get down the boy's dorm stairs in his pajamas. He was rubbing his eye under his glasses, hair an untidy mess as usual.

When he got to the last stair he saw Sirius and stopped. Just then Serelina too got to her feet, making James eyebrow to shoot up. Leaning against the staircase wall and crossing his arms, he looked at the two in question. Though there was neither suspicion nor accusation on his gaze.

Not noticing his questioning look, Serelina greeted James cheerily - yet sleepily.

"You two do realize that it is four in the morning and we have class in five hours?" he asked them, rolling his eyes at Serelina's greeting. Knowing her as he did, he knew she hadn't noticed his questioning look - unlike his best mate. Who surely had seen him looking.

"I was asking her the same thing" Sirius said, looking at Serelina.

She merely just shrugged her shoulders, like she really didn't care.

"Well, you two have got an approximate to catch at least 4 hours of sleep if you two get to bed right now" James stated helpfully, not moving from his place at the end of the staircase, leaning against the wall.

"Nuh-uh! She has an approximate to catch four hours of sleep if she falls asleep now. I already slept, for at least... 3 to 3 and a half hours" Sirius corrected James and both of them stared at her this time.

"It's History of Magic, first class tomorrow. I'll probably end up sleeping all through class" she easily replied with an uncaring shrug of her shoulder.

"And have to endure Lily's wrath?" Sirius questioned laughing, not really thinking that she was being serious.

James, who was silently listening to the two, smiled to himself. He knew what she'll tell to him before she said it. He also knew that she was being entire serious when she said she'll sleep through class.

You don't spend seven years with James and not have him rub of in you. Besides, she really wasn't all that innocent. Put her in a room with her brothers and cousins, you'd probably not find the room in its previous status.

She can be quite mischievous when she puts her mind to.

"Then I'll just sit with James or Remus" Serelina replied to Sirius just as easily. Then as an afterthought muttered "Probably Remus...Or Peter."

She wasn't being inaudible enough for the two boys to not catch her words.

"Not me?" Sirius questioned feign hurt. Though he truly was. Hurt, I mean.

Serelina scoffed - she was sleepy enough she didn't even notice the feign hurt in his voice. "Like you or James would let me sleep in peace. That's why I muttered 'probably Remus or Peter'" she told him - them - matter of factly.

With that she sleepily heaved her bag back up her shoulder and turned back to Sirius. "Well, now that you've got James for company, I'm going to bed." Then adding a 'goodnight, you two' she disappeared up the girl's dormitory stairs.

James turned to Sirius, expecting some answers. Unlike Lina, he knew, Sirius wouldn't, not see his questioning look.

Sirius shrugged. "I was brooding on my own, when she came back... At around 1 in the morning and kept me company" he told, flopping back gracefully onto the couch.

James - for whatever reason - looked slightly disappointed at his answer and walking over to the couch, flopped down beside Sirius.

"How do the two of you do that?" James said, more to himself than to Sirius. "You, at least I can understand. You want to get out of your head and she gives you a perfect excuse to forget everything. But what does she get out of it?" he mused out loud,

"Mate! What are you on about?" Sirius questioned, feeling lost by his friends fathomless rambling.

James looked at Sirius with a blank expression, then sigh, slumping in his seat. "You two don't get it. Here you two sit, cuddled together in this very couch, whispering among yourselves. To everyone who sees, it looks like two loves cuddling in a couch by the fire" he explained making Sirius look quite startled.

The two of them didn't see their little talks anything like that. It wasn't even remotely romantic.

"I mean, you're always with one girl or another. But Serelina wouldn't let a single boy near her, yet she lets you be so close to her. And then the next moment you two won't even acknowledge the others existence. Everyone thinks you two are through and then another two months or so after you two will be cuddled back in this chair... Do you have any idea how infuriating it is" James exclaimed the last part, clutching his hair.

"Ur - James, we aren't - " Sirius started to say but James cut him off. "I know you two aren't together. You two just talk... About your problems at home. Still... Its infuriating." he huffed looking annoyed.

Sirius was taken aback by James abrupt behavior. "Urm..." he muttered not sure what to make out of his best mate.

"URGH! Forget it" James said suddenly, throwing his hands up in frustration at Sirius - for not understanding his hidden meaning. Then he grinned up at Sirius, wanting to know what happened.

Sirius was quick to catch on to his mood swing and grinned mischievously at James. "So when were you ever going to mention to your best mate that said fair lady is a Loralie, from Loraliea?"

James grew impossibly wider at Sirius question. "So she finally told you." It wasn't so much a question as her statement. "Took her long enough" he muttered under his breath, to himself.

Then Sirius told James everything that happened early that morning, before the two decided to call it a night too.


	11. Chapter Eleven - A Little Fun

Chapter Thirteen - A Little Fun.

It was a pretty blizzardous day as Serelina and the girls walked into the great hall for breakfast. They were all gossiping about one thing or the other, whereas Serelina head was buried deep in this muggle novel that she had burrowed from Lily.

It was a mystry, crime solving novel, about a man named Sherlock Holmes. Serelina was buried so deep into the story, her friends knew better than to bother her until she finishes reading.

Lily steered her friend towards the Gryffindor table and Serelina sat down instictively, not once looking up from her book. She was so into the story that she didnt even notice the approach of James, or the fact that he was desperately trying to get her attention - after flirting with Lily of course - that is, until James pulled the book right out of her hands.

Growling with annoyance, her crystal blue eyes snapped up to be met with the hazel pair which belonged to a certain . A certain Mr. Potter who better had a very good reason for disturbing her. Fortunately for James, he knew Serelina better than she knew herself, so obviously he had a valid reason for disturbing her. One, he knew very well, that she wouldn't hex him for.

"You better have a really good reason for doing that." Serelina muttered to him with a glare so sharp, he could almost feel it peircing him.

"Right, a word?" He asked gluping. After all, he knew the best which buttons he should not press unless he wanted to be skrewed alive, with Magic.

Confused, Serelina gave a nod of her head, motioning him to talk. "Can we take this outside, it's kinda private?" he questioned her, shooting a glance at her friends - who all looked really interested by what he wanted with her. Looking at her friends too - and seeing Lily glaring at James, she could tell he had pissed her off already - she shrugged her shoulder and got up to follow him outside.

Once outside, they met up with the rest of the Marauders. Seeing her, Remus gave her a pained smile, but before she could ask what that was abou, they - meaning James and Sirius - dragged her off to an empty corridor. When they stopped - Sirius and James looking around to make sure no one was around - she raised an eyebrow up at Remus in question, not forgetting the pained smile he had give her. That was the thing about Serelina, she was randomly forgetful.

"You really dont have to do this if you dont want to." He stated it in a way that made her feel like he asking her not to take up the job. Looking tired and worn out, Remus slumped against the wall he was leaning on. Serelina could tell the full moon was probably coming up shortly for Remus looked a ragtaged picture.

"Shut up Remus!" James snapped at his friend irritated, he was tried of having this conversation over and over again with his friend. Remus didnt want to dragged her into this mess the Marauders had - were - creating for themselves, for if they were caught, she'd be caught along with them. After all, what they were about to do was illegal and dangerous. "Knowing Lina, she wouldn't say can't." James added confidently, slinging his arm around said girls shoulder and smiling brightly.

"Still don't feel bad to say no." Sirius said quickly to Lina, giving a pointed look to James. Instead of contradicting Sirius like he had to Remus, James just rolled his eyes, but didn't tell anything. He knew there was no use pressing the point. He knew there was no way Serelina was going to tell no for what they were up to, but in school she had a goody-two-shoes image that was hard to contradict.

"Point taken." Lina nodded her head, looking from one boy to the other, wondering what they were playing at this time. Being the infamous Marauders, whatever the were up to, it couldn't be any good - that much she knew from experience (having gone to school with them for four long years, she'd have had too be blind to not know they were trouble makers).

"You're good with concentration spells." it wasn't a question but a statement, James already knew the answer to that. "We kinda need your lovely help with a spell we've been -" he abruptly stopped talking when a groups of giggling, third year ravenclaws turned down the corridor.

They burst into worser fits of gigling when they saw the boys and it didn't help that Sirius winked at them with a smirk as they passed. 'He really needs to get his prioriteis straight' Lina thought seeing him wink at the girls. It wasn't that she had a problem with him flirting with girls, she just didn't like the way her dump one girl and be with another within the time span of 5-10 miniutes. Then again' all those girls knew what they were getting themselves into. Even James scowled at Sirius, not liking the interuption whe delivering one of his grand, exaggerated speeches. The reason he scowled at Sirius was because - up to James - they were on a mission, a mission to help their friend, and no distraction was welcome. And that was exactly what those girls were, an unnecessary distraction.

"Right, we need your help with a spell to turn us into animagi." James said in a rush once the girls were out of ear and eye shot, before they could get interupted again.

A silence followed James sudden declaration. Lina opened her mouth to say 'fine' before the last part sank in. She snapped her mouth shut again, processing her thoughts. She closed her eyes, contemplating and evaluating the situation, while the boys grew restless and worried by her lack of answer - all three of them except James. He knew what she was doing. Besides he wasn't really worried.

He had thought long and hard before he presented this option to his friends - to ask Serelina for help, I mean. He had evaluated the situation to make sure she'd not be opposed to the idea. He also knew she wouldn't tattle them out in case she disagreed with them. This was a fact it had taken almost all three months since school began to convince his friends - they'd had this idea since almost the end of last year.

Remus looked uncomfortable with the whole affair, he didn't like - or agree with - what his friends were upto. Being animagi wasn't some sort of joke. Things could go seriously wrong, they could be stuck as half-man, half-animal for the rest of their lives or something. This wasn't something to play with. Also, he could lose control and severly hurt his friends or worse bite them and turn them into lycanthropes too. He didn't like this plan one little bit.

The more time she took to contemplate the more anxious Sirius got, he was actually glaring at the floor, impatient. He wanted her to say 'no', already so they could move on to their next plan. He was positive that she was going to say 'no' too. What kind of goody-two-shoes, follow-the-rules would agree to such a thing? Especially one as life risking, illegal and high dangerous one as what they were about to do.

As for Peter, the little plump boy looked at Serelina with beady eyes, willing her to agree. He liked the silver haired girl who always noticed him, didn't think of him as a pest or ignore him. She actually answered his questions like she'd answer for Sirius or James, even Remus and not like the other girls who looked at him like he was a little pest.. It also helped that she was very pretty and gave her attention to very few males. It was actually a pride to him that she even gave him the time of the day, whereas many girls not half as beautiful as her looked right throught him.

"Hmm... You guys are staying over for the christmas holidays?" she asked them, cocking her head, still deep in thought.

She got a series of 'no's,' 'not really's' and 'we're going to James' place for the holiday's,' in reply.

"Mmmm... Okay, I'll see what I can do, but lets talk about this over break, I don't want all the details since I don't want to lie my friends." She said, finally looking at them with a soft smile.

James whooped out his happiness, hugging her tightly. Peter looking equally excited as James - his excitment was contagious - only Peter didn't whoop out loud in celebration. Remus smiled, a pained smile that he looked like someone had just punched him in the gut. He really didn't like what they were up to, becoming illegal animagi was no joke. There was a reason why the ministry had a registry for the whole process and why it was done with the help of professionals.

"You're going to help?" Sirius asked incredulously. His mouth hung open in his befuddlement that she agreed without questioning them. And she hadn't even asked their reason for them wanting to become animagi. She had blindly agreed. Course, there was no way for Sirius to know she had accurately figured out why they'd want to become animagi.

"Told you lot she'd agree, didn't I?" James stated looking extermely smug and sounding it too. This wasn't that big of a surprise, that he knew she'd agree, because they had grown up together, best friends from before school.

"Good, now that we have everything solved up... Can I have my book back?" she said the last part giving James her most deadliest glare and holding out her hand. Gluping - he knew if he didnt give her book back she'd surely hex him, or worse, curse or punch him - he quickly placed the book in her hand. "Do that again, Jay, and I swear I'm gonna curse you to obliviion." She said in a dark voice, then smiled sweetly at him before she skipped back to the great hall.

Her head buried in her -okay Lily's - book, she only looked up to see where her friends were sitting. Joining her friends, flopping down beside Lily, she piled food on her plate, eating as she continued reading.

"What did Potter want?" Dorace asked with interest, leaning toward Lina and giving her friend her sole attention. They had all noticed the Marauders streaming into the Great Hall behind Serelina - a fact she wasn't very aware of, being too consumed in her story.

"Something to do over holidays." Serelina replied vaguely and distracted. She didn't even glance up from her book when she answered.

Though her answer was vague and didn't really answer Dorace's question - her answer hadn't been very helpful - the girls knew better than to disturb Serelina when she was reading. Not unless they wanted to get jinxed - and Serelina's spells hardly failed her. This was the reason she wasn't bombarded with questions. Questions she wouldn't be able to answer thruthfully. Not unless she wanted to get the Marauders in some serious trouble.

"They are staying in school aren't they?" Mary asked, with a dreamy sigh.

"Mary, they always stay over for the holidays planning great pranks." Dorace told Mary with a frown. Sirius was a sour subject between the two of them as both of them liked the guy. "Ever since first year they stay at hogwarts for holls and new year. In fact they don't leave this place but for the holiday's." Serelina guessed that they hadn't heard about the Marauders not staying a school this holidays.

"Actually, they aren't staying in hogwarts this year." Lina informed them, glancing up from the book she had her head buried in. "they're going to James house for christmas." She said in a matter-of-fact tone before going back to her book.

"You are so Lucky Lina," Mary sighed dreamily, out of the blue, just as Marlene breeze into sit beside Serelina. All four girls looked at her - Mary - as if questioning her sainity, but Mary wasn't looking at them. In fact she was busy staring at a certain grey eyed Marauder. "You get to spend your holidays with him." She said in a dreamy tone, a goofy smile on her lips, her eyes half-closed. It was obvious she was daydreaming. It was also obvious about whom.

Though they didn't know much about Lina, they knew she lived close to James - how else would they have been best friends from before school?

"Who slipped you a love potion?" Marlene - who hadn't been around for the first part of their conversation and didn't know that Mary was talking about Sirius - asked incredulously.

"Marly, you are a genious!" Serelina exclaimed playfully, her crystal blue eyes lighting up with playful glee and mischief. When her four friend looked at her, she continued. "That'll explain a lot. How Sirius has all these girls trailing behind him like love sick puppies. He slips them love potions." She explained at Marlene's confused expression.

Marlenes face dawn with understanding - knowing who Mary had been talking about now. "Yes, that'll explain why all these girls go for a second round of heartbreak." Marlene agreed with Lina, playing along with her.

"Merlin! That'll explain why Mary and Dorace are totally gaga for the guy!" Serelina mock cried, throwing her hands up for emphasis and pointing at her two friends with wide horrified eyes.

Mary glared at her two friends, not liking being made fun of, but Dorace, who understood that they weren't being made fun of - Lina was just goofing around - only rolled her eyes at the pair.

"Oh no!" Marlene joined Lina, holding on to the latters hand in exasperation. "They've been given love potion. It's up to us to save them from doing something they'd regret." she exclaimed just as dramatically as her friend, shaking Lina's hand to show her seriousness - which she wasn't.

"Hey! I didn't do anything and I'm not totally gaga for Black!" Dorace protested, though at the mention at his name she did throw said boy a sly glance.

Mary continued to glare at the two, rendeered speechless by there exaggerated acting.

Lily anyhow, was laughing silently, watcing her friends playing around.

"Of course, you're definitly not gaga for tall, dark and handsome" Marlene said, sharing a look with Lina, having noticed the sly glance Dorace shot in Sirius' way.

Lina shot Marlene a confused look. Looking like she really had no idea whom Malene meant by tall, dark and handsome. "Tall, dark and handsome?" she questioned with a frown. "Marlene!" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide with mock-horror - a playful glint still remained in her crystal blue eys. "Oh no! Lily, all our friends are under the influence of a love potion, we have to do something." She cried, scrambling away from Marlene and clinging to Lily's hand like it was a life line.

Dorace snickered at the fact that she had turned against her own alie. Even mary smile at Linas antiques. Marlene however, rolled her blue eyes good naturedly.

"Come on Lina, even you have to accept that his looks are something to kill for." she said, purposefully, knowing Lina would freak out more at this. Not truely, but playfully, to stay in character.

"Yeah Li. She's just stating the obvious. Even I agree he's hot." Lily said laughing, expecting Lina to scream - only for them to hear. And just like she anticipated Lina screamed, letting go of Lily and scrambling away from her too.

"ARGH! Merlin! All my friends, all my friends!" she screamed in a low voice, throwing her hands up in protest and eyeing all of them vearily.

Lily, still laughing got up. "Alright, you had your fun Li, now time for class." she said knowing better than to contradict Lina when she got this playful.

Just as they got up to leave, the Marauders passed them. Remus, who had ancient ruins with Serelina, first class, stopped to accompany her. "Remus! Save me!" Serelina exclaimed before the tired looking boy could greet them. The rest of the Marauders stopped to watch.

Serelina jumped up from her seat and clutched his arm, looking seriously freacked out. James who knew her the best could see the playful glint in her eyes, that sparkled with mischief set for a Marauder. Remus, who was taken back by her behaviour stared at her in a bit of shock.

"We have to do something Remus. Everybody's been infected." she explained seeing his confused look.

Remus eyes grew wide. Lily smacked herself on the forehead, while Dorace and Mary stared at Serelina with bugged eyes, warning her not to tell anything to Sirius. Marlene, who wasn't into Sirius and knew Lina would fess up to playing around before they seperated ways, rolled her eyes, not caing if Serelina said why she was so freacked out or not.

Looking wide-eyed, she beckoned him closer so she could whisper to him. "Everyone has been affected by Sirius, everyone's in love with him, one way or another." she whispered serioulsy making Remus jerk up to look at her startled.

"Me and Marly came to the conclusion that he gave them a love potion, but shes been affected by it too and you're the only one I know who hasn't been affected by it" she cotinued in a normal volume as he wasn't leaning over for her to continue whispering.

By then Remus noticed how brightly gleaming with mirth her crystal blue eyes were and understood that she was playing around and not really serious. His alarm at finding out his friend had been slipping around love potions - that's what she had made it sound like - being replaced with mirth.

"Why ask me and not James?" He questioned, frowning. This thought had been nagging him ever since she had dragged him into this scean she was creating.

At James names, Serelina almost scowled. "James?" she questioned Remus like she had never heard of him before. "I think James was his first test subject. He's been gaga for the guy since first year... And he's more gaga for the guy than any other girl, haven't you noticed?" Serelina whispered so James, Sirius and Peter wouldn't hear.

A bit flaggerbastered with what she had come up with, Remus looked back at James and back to the innocently wide-eyed Serelina. He laughed, seeing how into this charade she was.

Lily, who had heard the whole thing, rolled her bright green eyes and heaved up her bags onto her shoulder. "Come on Lina, you need to head towards your next class unless you want to be late and make Remus late with you." She told sternly, her eyes warning Serelina not to push the subject.

"Aww... Lily-poo, don't be such a party pooper." Lina pouted at Lily, but still complied, heaving her bag up her shoulder. Then turning towards the rest of her friends, she said, "Anyway, no offence taken, right ladies. This was just goofing around." Of course with the innocently sweet smile she gave them it was hard to stay mad at her.

They shook their heads, Mary and Dorace sighing as their anger at her almost revelation disappated. "How anyone can be mad at you- ?" Marlene started, ruffling Serelina's hair with affection. "Merlin only knows." the others joined in finishing Marlenes sentence. And all was forgiven.

**A/N~**

**Hey everyone, I apologise for the really looooooooooooong wait. I hope this Chapter was long enough to make-up for the long wait. I'm having a hectic time here - what with my cousins staying in our house and I can't sit down to write without getting disturbed (or dragged off to make milk or what-a-not). I don't know when I'll be able to update again, but I really want to give a shout out to everyone who commented and follow my story.**

**I know I don't take my time to reply to your comments, but just know than I really appreciate the comments and I love you guys for taking the time to read, follow and last but not least comment on my story. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou so much all you for taking you time to give my story a chance. I don't say this enough, but I true, really am thankfully for all the comments and follow... and mostly read. It really means a lot.**

**Thankyou guys lots. Hugs and Kissed and Cookies for everyone.**

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**Love you guys**

**Rena. **


	12. Chapter Twelve - An Unfulfilling Dinner

Chapter Twelve - An Unfulfilling Dinner.

Next morning, the boys couldn't find Lina anywhere. They seperated and ran all over the castle finding for her.

In the end, it was Sirius and Peter who found her, on their second evaquation of the library. It was almost dinner time when they did find her.

"Here you are." Sirius stated annoyedly as he pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down. Startled, Lina jumped, flicking her wand too hard and almost burning the page she was copying. She did, however, send all her parchments flying to the ground.

Shooting him an annoyed look, she flicked her wand again - the papers re-arranged on the table - as Peter took the chair next to her. Ignoring her, Sirius pulled out a mirror from his pocket and muttered 'James' to it.

With a shimmer, James face appeared in the mirror. "Found her. She's in the library, doing... Homework." Sirius told, raising an eyebrow and glaring at her as he said the last part.

Serelina was puzzled. She didn't know they had been finding for the whole day. What do you think it looked like when he found her doing homework. It wasn't his fault that he didn't know that she was infact doing the work she promised them she'd do.

"Homework?" James asked sounding as puzzled as Lina felt. Lina might be a devoted student, but she wasn't as obsessed with homework as... say Lily. "Yeah, whatever. Just keep her there. We're on our way." James ordered and then his face disappeared from the mirror.

"That's... interesting." Lina commented, keeping her voice low and cocking her head towards the mirror.

"Love, we are the Marauders. Everything we have is interesting." Sirius smirked, winking at her. Then he setteled himself comfortably in his chair, even going as far as to put his leg up on the table.

Rolling her eyes at his reply and said, " leg off the table, Black."

His smirk widened as he challengingly said, "make me."

Laughing, she said, "Don't say I didn't warn you." Then she she effortlessly pushed his leg off the table, which resulted in him falling to the floor with the chair.

"What are you doing on the floor, Sirius?" Remus asked as he and James rounded a bookshelf and came into view.

"Enjoying the lovely view." came the reply from the ground. Sirius even had the audasity to give a pointed look at Serelina's leg, under the table. Of course, he was only kidding, as she was wearing her favorite warm tights.

That is why, instead of hexing him into the next century, she gave him a blank look, narrowing her eyes into slits. He smiled at her innocently, knowing very well he had almost been hexed off the century. Though he downplayed it, he was relieved she didn't hex him. He admitted, he couldn't take her on.

With a huffed she looked back at James, a questioning look in her eyes. Taking the seat to her right, while Remus sat next to Sirius, James started questioning her.

"Firstly, tell me where on this castle have you been the whole day?" James demanded, his eyed narrowed at his only lady best friend.

"In the library, why?" Serelina answered, clearly confused with James annoyed-ness and Sirius' somewhat hostility.

"The whole day?" Sirius asked sounding incredulous. Not understanding where he was coming from, Serelina nodded her head, a slight frown between her brows. "Don't lie Lina, we already checked in the library and you weren't here." He said rather sharply. More sharply than he intended.

"Yeah, we were running all around the castle finding for you. We even scared a first year to go look for you in your dorm." Peter, who didn't think sirius could do anything wrong, said. He too frowning like Sirius.

"I was probably in the restricted section." Serelina said, shaking her head. "Why were you guys looking for me anyway?"

Her question was met with three shocked faces.

"What were you doing in the restricted section?" that was James. At the same time James asked that, Sirius went, "Why were we looking for you?" He sounded incredulous and bewildered as he asked that near her. He couldn't believe she forgot her promise to them. Of course he didn't see her book to know that she had been keeping her promise to them all the while they were looking for her.

"Stop it, you two," Remus said tiredly. He - like the smart boy he is - had checked what she had been working on and knew his mates were getting on her case for nothing. "And to answer both of you, she's researching about Animagus." he added with a pointed look at his friends. A look that said that they better apologise to her.

Sirius looked like he had swallowed something bad at Remus revelation. James looked guilty, berating himself for forgetting that it was Lina he was talking to. Lina, who never broke her promises as long as she can keep them. Even Peter looked guilty. Though he hadn't said anything to her, personally, he had been agreeing with James and Sirius all the while - in his head.

A clueless Serelina looked from one boy to the other. "What's all this about?" Serelina asked them, peering at all of them curiously.

"Well... It's like this. You said you will help us with finding how to become Animagus and then you disappeared on us and... We thought that-" James explained, struttering at the end. Ashamed to admit he thought what he thought.

"And you lot thought I was dissing you." She concluded with a knowing nod of her head.

"Please, Lina, don't be mad. We're sorry. It's just that -" Sirius started apologising with a grunt when a pause followed her conclusion.

Before he could finish his sentence, Serelina started laughing, throwing her head back and holding her stomach. She found Sirius apologising so readyly very uncharacteristic of him. As a fact, she hadn't ever seen him apologising to anyone - well, maybe to James, but she hadn't actually seen him apologising to even him.

"She's not mad." James stated the obvious, rolling his eyes at his silver haired friend. He sat back on his chair and put his legs up on the table - much like Sirius had. As soon as he eased himself into the chair, he quickly sat up straight again, looking from Sirius to Serelina with amusement. He had just understood why Sirius had been in the floor when they found them.

"Oh Merlin! That explains a lot. You put your leg up in the table didn't you?" James questioned his best mate excitedly. His eyes were lit up like a christmas tree. Only, with mirth and excitement rather than with lights.

Sirius nodded his head, looking at James a little creeped out. He was wondering how James had guessed that right. He should've known that James knew Lina enough to know that she doesn't like it when someone keeps their leg up in the table she is working on.

When Sirius nodded his head, James burst out laughing.

Rolling her crystal blue eyes, Serelina turned back to her work - taking notes about Animagi.

"No. No. No. No!" James exclaimed, holding on to Lina's hand. Lina looked at James startled. "Enough with the notes already, it's time for dinner. And you are not skipping dinner too." he added the last part shooting her a fierce glare. He didn't like it that she had skipped breakfast and lunch because of them.

James shot her a look that clearly said all her whining - or pleading - wasn't going to get her anywhere. "Get a move on." he told her with a fakely pleasent smile that had Serelina shacking her head annoyedly. She, however, couldn't hide the affectionate smile on her lips. She truely loved this boy too much - in a brotherly way - to ever get really annoyed with him.

"Fine," she grumbled - not liking leaving a work in half - as she got up and started gathering the library books. "Give me a miniute, I'll be right back." With that said, she sneacked back into the restricted section and deposited the bools she had on animagus - after chaging back the covers to their original state.

When she got back to the boys, she was mildly surprised to find all her stuff packed and the table cleared. As soon as the four boys saw the silver haired girl appear from behind a bookshelf, they jumped up thier feet. Sirius even shouldered her bag like it weighed nothing - when in fact it was filled with books and parchment and quills and ink pots and... Well, you get the point.

"Lets go." James said enthusiastically, taking Serelinas elbow and leading her out of the library. The other three silently followed them.

Once they were out of the library did Peter hurry to catch up with James and Lina - who was getting dragged at a brisk pace. The small chubby boy timidly tugged on Lina's sleeve, making her crystal blue eys to turn away from James back to look at him.

"Um... You left this in the table." He struttered, holding out the eleven and a halt inch, willow wand.

"Oh, thankx Peter." Serelina laughed as she took the wand from Peters hand, not noticing the pink that tinted boys cheek as she did.

Taking the fact that she hadnt looked at all disgusted with him - for touching her wand - he took the courage to spproach her with a question.

"Do you mind if I ask something?" He mumbled rather than asked near her. His face went completely red as he talked to her, much to the amusement of Sirius and James. Lina didn't seem to notice that she was the reason for the boys struttering and red face. She truely thought that this was because the boy had barely talked to girls before. Which was true to some extenct.

"Go ahead." She said enthisiastically, waving her free hand - which James wasn't holding tightly onto - enthusiastically in a 'go ahead' motion.

"Why is their a tiny jewel stuck in your wand?" Peter questioned curiously, but looking embarassed at the same time.

"To keep my wand crumbling to dust." Serelina told, matter-of-factly. Peter looked completely lost at her explanation so she opted for giving him an explanation - aware that Sirius and Remus too were listenting to her explanation intently.

"As a Loralie, my migic is muc more advanced than of an average wizards. Therefore the wooden wands that wizards make have a had time keeping up with so much power leaving its clutches at once and it turns to dust. The jewel in the wand is from my original wand - my Loralia wand - and it keeps too much power from escaping all at once and this keeps the wooden wand from crumbling." she explained, though she wasn't all that sure Peter understood half of what she had just said.

Anyhow, before he could question her further James forcefully pulled her down sit on the Gryffindor table and started pilling food in her plate.

"James!" Lina exclaiimed, slapping his hand away from her plate. Stopping him from putting more food on my plate. But the damage was already done, he had already piled food in her plate like his own - half of which she normally ate - while she had been talking to Peter. "i don't even half as much this." She said pouting when James glared at her for slapping his hand away.

James merely shot her a drak look that had her grumble under her breath, but dig in. Even by then Sirius and Peter were gobbling down their food like there was no tomorrow. Though Remus wasn't gobbling down his food, he was eating at a brisk pace. Once Serelina started eating James dived into his food same as Sirius and Peter.

Besides making a disgusted face, she kept her disgust to herself. It wasnt like she wasn't used to this happening at her home to - she had way to many males, cousins, living in her house for her to get used to such behaviour.

Eating as much as she could, she stubornly refused to eat anymore, staring at James unyeildingly. Sencing that he wasn't about win this as easily - especially now that she was showing her stuborn Gryffindor in her - James shrugged his shoulder with a dramatic dejected sigh. Rolling her eyes, and not buying James act, she called a 'goodnight' for the guys before she skipped over to her girlfriends.

He couldn't wrap his head around which was worse. The fact that she was over-working herself because of them, or how much she looked ready to pass out. There were actual dark circles under eyes and her sick straight hair, which was usually tame and fell in a graceful waterfall to her waist, was a tangled mess. To make him feel even worse, he had noticed her wincing everytime she used her wrist.

He knew she had been trying to downplay it, and that's why he hadn'r mention anything in front of her.

He couldn't help clicking his tongue and muttering 'typical' under his breath. It was just like Serelina to hide her pain and still think of everyone but herself.

"What's typical?" Remus, having heard James muttering asked.

Now that Serelina was no longer within the Marauders earshot, James looked at his friends with a look that said he wanted to talk business. And by business they usually meant Maraudering.

"We need to keep an eye on Serelina, especially when she goes into the library next." James told the in a serious voice, not bothering to answer Remus' question.

All three of his friend looked at him strangely, none of them realising why James would say such a thing. It wasn't like Serelina couldn't take care of herself. She was more than upto such a task.

"If I know Serelina as well as I think I do, then she's completely gonna forget to eat until she gets us the recipe for that potion. And believe me when I say that we dont want that happening." James said in a grave voice as he tured to watch his silver haired friend talking animatedly to the one girl of his dreams.

"Okay, how about we come up with a schedule to keep an eye on her? Though it'll be hard to keep an eye on her during school -" Remus sentence was cut off when Lina breezed back over to them, motioning her friends to go on ahead.

"Guys, I just realised something." She said, widening her crystal blue eyes with the silver specks in them. "Tell me, the reason you lot are asking for my help is becasue you lot already went through all the books in the library and couldn't come up with the potion recipe right?" she asked point on.

She recieved multiple nods from the four boys and pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm... How about the restricted section?"

"Been there, done that." Sirius answered in a bored voice, but honestly, he was only trying to rile her up. Only it didn't work as Lina was too lost in her thoughts.

She sighed, puffing out her cheeks. "That'll mean we'll have to come up with some other way to find for this potion." she murmured mostly to herself than to anyone else and walked away again with out another word to the boys, lost deep in her thought.

"I guess we won't need that schedule after all." James stated, watching a distracted Serelina walk out of the Great Hall.

**A/N -**

**I'm so very sorry for the late update. This time I have no excuse... I just completely forgot about PoHH - Just like I forgot about Princess Pirate. But i deeply apologise to Everyone who bothered to take their time to read my book. R&R**

**RNDee**n


	13. Chapter Thriteen - Geminio

Chapter Sixteen - Gemino

Leaving the great hall with her friends, Lina excused herself and raced up to Johns room.

She really wanted to learn the duplicating spell before she went finding for the animagus potion recipe. She didn't want to be subjected to copying down everything page by page when she could get a duplicate of the whole book.

Dumping her bag on her brothers bed, Lina rumaged through John's trunk, looking for his spell book.

She pretty soon she had the whole part of John's room a terrible mess, mixing all his good clothes with his dirty ones, trunk spilling out whole. Books littered the floor in a neater order, but all over the place. Yet she still had half his trunk to go through and the place was as messy as could be.

Thats when the seventh year boys dorm door opened and upon glancing up Serelina saw Michael - her brothers roommate - step into the room.

The boy had dirty blond hair that was usually clean cut, but right then was falling sloppily to his bright blue eyes, hidden behind spectacles. He had a lanky build and was tall at 5'9". His pale skin a startling contrast when he stood next to the milky skinned Serelina, but if their was one guy that Serelina remotely had a crush on, that would be Michael.

Cute, bookwormish and someone John would completely trust her with - because if they were to do it, they'd have to do it in the very same room - something Lina wasn't planning on doing anytime soon.

"Oh! Hey Lina." He called when his eyes found hers amidst the mess she had made out of Johns trunk. Returning his smile with a sheepish one of her own - and going the slightest bit pnik in the face, that he totally missed it - she called back a 'hey'.

Michael cast a second look around the room and his eyebrows raised in spectulation. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you looking for?" he asked, turning his bright blue eyes back to her crystal blue pair.

Her cheeks turned even more pink and now he could see a light tint in them. "Ur- for my brothers spell book." she answered casting a glance around the mess she had made. She smiled at him, looking up through her eyelashes to look innocent with no ulterio motives.

Only her sweet smile and sultry eyes manganed to give her a seductive look. At least it made him forget to ask the point and prupose she was digging for John's spell book. Of course, Lina was oblivious to the effect her innocent look had on boys, or she'd not bother trying.

Rolling his eyes for an excuse to look away, Michael pulled his own spell book from his bag and held it out to her. "You better clean this place up before John gets back." he added, casting another look around the room.

"Oh! Um - thanks. I'll clean this up right away." Lina instantly agreed as she accepted his book with a wide, grateful smile. As soon as she took it, she flipped it open to the contents page. Then not even looking up, she flicked her wand over her shoulder.

All of Johns things arranged themselves neatly back inside his trunk. They arranged themselves so neatly that the trunk which had been brimming with stuff suddenly had enough space to put more things inside. With another flick of her wand she had his clean clothes seperated from his dirty ones, which piled by the foot of his bed for the house-eleves to get.

Now John's part of the room was neatly arranged with not a thing out of place. Much better than it had been before she started messing it up. Well, it wasnt like John could get mad at her for cleaning his room. Not to mention it was even neatly made than Michael's part of the room - which was saying something as his part was normally the neatest in the whole room.

Satisfied with her cleaning, Serelina plopped onto Johns bed and snuggling under the duvet, started reading through the spell book.

It took her a complete 2 hours to find the charm she was looikng for. This was due to the fact that she easily got sidetacked by different charms as she read her way through them.

Finally finding the spell she was looking for, she slowly and carefully went through the instructions.

She didn't want to go to the library and try a not perfected spell on a book, which could result in burning the book up. That's why she tried it out first, right there in Johns room.

Pulling one of Johns pillows and with the spell book lying open beside her, she took her willow wand from her skirt pocket and got ready to practice.

With an elegant swish and swash, she gently tapped on the pillow, saying the incantation clearly.

Nothing happened.

Serelina wasn't all that disappointed - just because she is who she is, doesnt mean that she is so good at magic it comes to her without practice. New spells - even wizards spells - were not easily tamed as everyone believed. Every spell took practice to perfect.

Letting out a soft - almost inaudible - sigh, she tried again. And again, and again, and again, until she accidentally blew up Johns pillow in frustration.

Lina shrieked softly, taken by surprise at the pillow exploding, as feathers flew around her and settled on her hair.

A small chuckle from her right reminded her that she wasn't alone in the room, she had company. She looked up to be met by Michael's bright blue eyes.

"What?" she asked him as she restored the pillow to its previous state with just a flick of her wand and no words.

Shaking his head, he said, "Nothing." and looked back down to whatever he had been studying. A moments pause and he looked back up at her, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Do you want some help?" He questioned, with a pointed look at the unduplicated pillow in front of her.

Not egoistic enough to say 'no' to freely given help, Lina shrugged her shoulder.

Smiling - rather charmingly, Lina couldn't help thinking fleetingly - he patted his bed, beconing her over. "Come here."

Serelina raised an eyebrow at the gesture, but she still inched closer to him - who was reclining in his bed. When she was close enough, with a roll of his eyes, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down beside him.

Lina looked at him annoyedly. Even if she crushed on the guy big time, manhandling her was bound to get him a good curse casted on him. And this fact wasn't lost on Michael. He wasn't stupid enough to believe otherwise.

After all, Serelina was famous in school for her little stunt with that Slytherin last year.

That is why, before she could curse him, he quickly stunned her by duplicating his own pillow.

Annoyance instantly forgotten, she looked up at him with bright crystal eyes. There was nothing that could get Serelina more captivated than learning a new spell, be it a wizarding spell or a celestial spell.

"How did you do that?" Serelina asked staring at the duplicated pillow with obvious fascination. Then she whirled in on Michael, kneeling on the bed and taking his free hand inbetween her own. "You've got to teach me to do that." she pleaded with puppy eyes.

Laughing good-naturedly and gently pulling his hand free from her hold, he patted her head.

Lina swatted away his hand, but didn't look at all annoyed. This was on account of her eagerness to learn a new spell and this didn't go unnoticed by Michael.

And that was how Serelina found herself with her smallest of crush, Michael, learning a new spell to duplicate things.

She still hadn't mastered it when John, Fabian and Gideon came into their dorm.

It just so happened that Michael had one arm warpped around Serelina's shoulder to reach her wand arm with his, so he could show her what she was doing wrong.

"What on Earth is going on in here?" John demanded, seeing the two. Fabian and Gideon had to hold him back from lunging at the pair and attacking Michael.

Serelina, besides shooting them an annoyed look for breaking her concerntration didn't give the a thought.

"Stop fretting John, Lina wanted to learn a new spell and I'm just helping her get it right." Michael told John calmly, ruffling Lina's hair.

Before anyone could reply, Serelina followed Michael's instructions and finally broke through the spell, getting it right.

With an exclamation, she threw her arms around Michael and hugged him tightly - not realising exactly whom she hugged in her excitement.

Laughing, Michael returned her hug. "You did it, Lina!" He exclaimed as she released him and quickly scrambled back looking sheepish.

But it didn't last, as his words registered and in a rare show of excitment went hopping around the room hugging John and the twins and then duplicating everything her wand could touch.

Her excitment was short lived as an annoyed John -Fabian and Gideon were taken back to be of much help - grabbed her wand and shooed her out of the room.

"Oi! Stop duplicating our stuff and go find your boyfriend. He was looking for you." John said as he restrained her from duplicating more stuff.

Lina glared at her brother for calling James her boyfriend when he very well knew that she saw him as just another brother/best friend.

"For the thousand millionth time, James isn't my boyfriend." Lina huffed, grabbing her willow wand back from John. With a final glare at her brother she happily flounced out of the seventh year boys dorm.

"Just so you know Michael, that hug didn't mean alot. She didn't mean anything by it." John told his dorm-mate in a hard voice. "And another thing, stay away from my sister Mike. She naive enough not to see the playboy you are, because she never pays attention. But here's a warning... if you break my sisters heart, I'm not the only one you'll have to answer to."

**A/N~**

**Short and a filler Chapter, I know. it couldn't be helped, there are parts that could be of importance in this Chapter. whether I will take up on it or not is yet to be decided...**

**still... let me know what you guys think. I'm so happy with all the feedback I received. A special Thankyou for everyone who took their time to leave a review. Keep them coming and show Serelina your love.**

**Also, i apologise for the late update. I kinda lost my inspiration to continue PoHH and am facing a writters block that I'm finding really hard to break through. Anyone wanna help? Suggestions are always welcome. The christmas holidays are cming up, wha do you wanna see of Serelina's home? Suggestions would have another update soon, or you guys will have to wait for me to break through my writters block, so next update might yake time. I need to find my muse.**

**LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE.**

**RNDeen.**


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